Quality of life in patients with acromegaly based on the AcroQoL questionnaire

Abstract

Rationale: International experts emphasize that treatment strategies for patients with acromegaly should be aimed not only at normalization of biochemical parameters, but also at the achievement of better health-related quality of life (HRQL). However, the published data on the quality of life in patients with acromegaly is scarce.Aim: To assess HRQL in patients with acromegaly with a disease-specific validated questionnaire (AcroQoL) and to identify potential factors that may influence it.Materials and methods: One hundred fourteen (114) patients aged from 18 to 83 years (median age, 56 years, interquartile range, 46 to 63). All patients were divided into the age groups, as well as into the groups depending on the treatment they had received and on the control of acromegaly.Results: In the whole group of the patients (n = 114), the levels of insulin-like growth factor I significantly (p = 0.026) correlated with the domain “personal relationships”. When the patients with newly diagnosed acromegaly (n = 34) were compared to those who had been previously treated (n = 80), there were significant differences for “HRQL global” (p = 0.015) and “physical dimension” (p = 0.009). HRQL of the patients with controlled (n = 37) acromegaly did not differ from HRQL of those with uncontrolled disease (n = 43) (p > 0.05). Surgery and radiation treatment had no impact on the patients' HRQL (p > 0.05), whereas the treatment with somatostatin analogues improved only its physical dimension (p = 0.034).Conclusion: Treatment interventions do not improve quality of life in patients with acromegaly. This can be explained as follows: modern treatment approaches (surgery, radiation) do not lead to immediate noticeable results, whereas treatment-related complications can manifest themselves clearly. As a result, the patient may get an impression that his/ hers quality of life has not improved, despite the fact that the expediency of the specific treatment administered has been absolutely proven.