OBJECTIVE: To evaluate demographic data and quality of care of patients with acromegaly in Canada and their evolution over time and secondly, to evaluate predictors of co-morbidities and treatment outcomes. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Retrospective analyses of clinical, biochemical and treatment outcome data of 649 patients with acromegaly (males: 50·7%) followed from 1980 to 2010 (mean 10·2 years, SD 13·7) in eight tertiary care centres from six Canadian provinces. RESULTS: In comparison to 1980-1994, the number of patients referred with acromegaly in the last 15 years was higher with female preponderance (52·8% vs 41·4%, P = 0·01) and an older age at diagnosis (46·4 ± 14 vs 41·3 ± 12 years, P < 0·0001). Diabetes was present in 28%, hypertension in 37% and sleep apnoea in 33% of cases. Pretreatment IGF-1 levels, but not GH levels were significant predictors of diabetes (P = 0·0002) and hypertension (P < 0·0001). Eighty-nine per cent of patients underwent pituitary surgery, 64·5% had medical therapy and 22% received radiotherapy. Radiotherapy was less utilized in the past 15 years (16% vs 45%, P < 0·0001). Multimodal therapy achieved remission or control of acromegaly in 70% of patients. Patients in remission or disease control had lower initial random GH (P = 0·04) and IGF-1 levels (P < 0·0001). Hypopituitarism was present in 23% of patients and cancer in 8·5%. CONCLUSIONS: There was an increase over time of referral for acromegaly management with female predilection. Initial higher IGF-1, but not GH levels, were predictive of co-morbidities and persistent active disease after treatment. Disease remission or control was attained in 70% of patients utilizing multimodal therapy.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate demographic data and quality of care of patients with acromegaly in Canada and their evolution over time and secondly, to evaluate predictors of co-morbidities and treatment outcomes. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Retrospective analyses of clinical, biochemical and treatment outcome data of 649 patients with acromegaly (males: 50·7%) followed from 1980 to 2010 (mean 10·2 years, SD 13·7) in eight tertiary care centres from six Canadian provinces. RESULTS: In comparison to 1980-1994, the number of patients referred with acromegaly in the last 15 years was higher with female preponderance (52·8% vs 41·4%, P = 0·01) and an older age at diagnosis (46·4 ± 14 vs 41·3 ± 12 years, P < 0·0001). Diabetes was present in 28%, hypertension in 37% and sleep apnoea in 33% of cases. Pretreatment IGF-1 levels, but not GH levels were significant predictors of diabetes (P = 0·0002) and hypertension (P < 0·0001). Eighty-nine per cent of patients underwent pituitary surgery, 64·5% had medical therapy and 22% received radiotherapy. Radiotherapy was less utilized in the past 15 years (16% vs 45%, P < 0·0001). Multimodal therapy achieved remission or control of acromegaly in 70% of patients. Patients in remission or disease control had lower initial random GH (P = 0·04) and IGF-1 levels (P < 0·0001). Hypopituitarism was present in 23% of patients and cancer in 8·5%. CONCLUSIONS: There was an increase over time of referral for acromegaly management with female predilection. Initial higher IGF-1, but not GH levels, were predictive of co-morbidities and persistent active disease after treatment. Disease remission or control was attained in 70% of patients utilizing multimodal therapy.
Authors: Ana Laura Espinosa de los Monteros; Carmen A Carrasco; Alfredo Adolfo Reza Albarrán; Mônica Gadelha; Alin Abreu; Moisés Mercado Journal: Pituitary Date: 2014-01 Impact factor: 4.107
Authors: Maria Kamusheva; Silvia Vandeva; Konstantin Mitov; Yanitsa Rusenova; Atanaska Elenkova; Sabina Zacharieva; Zornitsa Mitkova; Konstantin Tachkov; Maria Dimitrova; Miglena Doneva; Dimitar Tcharaktchiev; Guenka Petrova Journal: Front Public Health Date: 2020-04-28