The Characteristics of Quality of Life Impairment in Adult Growth Hormone (GH)-Deficient Survivors of Cancer and Their Response to GH Replacement Therapy

We studied 50 (27 women and 23 men) GH-deficient (GHD) cancer survivors and 47 (24 women and 23 men) GHD patients with pituitary pathologies. All GHD patients were considered for GH replacement on the basis of subjectively poor quality of life (QOL). Primary outcome measures were scores of QOL instruments psychological general well-being schedule (PGWB) and assessment of GH deficiency in adults (AGHDA) at baseline and early (6–13 months) and long-term (24–77 months) treatment follow-up. Of secondary interest were six PGWB domains. Linear mixed effect regression was used to model each QOL outcome. The groups differed with respect to three covariates: age, gender, and body mass index. These variables were included in all fitted models. Baseline scores for PGWB and AGHDA were not different between groups. Ranking of PGWB domains were similar between groups at baseline (lowest domain, vitality). The pattern of change in mean scores for all outcome measures from baseline did not differ between groups (P = 0.86...