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Psychosocial health and levels of employment in 851 hypopituitary Swedish patients on long-term GH therapy.

På svenska

Author

  • Helene Holmer
  • Johan Svensson
  • Lars Rylander
  • Gudmundur Johannsson
  • Thord Rosén
  • Bengt A Bengtsson
  • Marja Thorén
  • Charlotte Höybye
  • Marie Degerblad
  • Margareta Bramnert
  • Erik Hägg
  • Britt Edén Engström
  • Bertil Ekman
  • Eva Marie Erfurth
Show all

Summary, in English

CONTEXT: The psychosocial health and working capacity in hypopituitary patients receiving long-term growth hormone (GH) therapy are unknown. OBJECTIVE: Psychosocial health and levels of employment were compared between GH deficient (GHD) patients on long-term replacement and the general population. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: In a Swedish nationwide study, 851 GHD patients [101 childhood onset (CO) and 750 adult onset (AO)] and 2622 population controls answered a questionnaire regarding current living, employment and educational level, alcohol consumption and smoking habits. The median time on GH therapy for both men and women with CO GHD was 9 years and for AO GHD 6 years, respectively. RESULTS: As compared to the controls, the GHD patients were less often working full time, more often on sick leave/disability pension, and to a larger extent alcohol abstainers and never smokers (all; P<0.05). Predominantly CO GHD women and men, but to some extent also AO GHD women and men, lived less frequently with a partner and more often with their parents. Particularly AO GHD craniopharyngioma women used more antidepressants, while AO GHD men with a craniopharyngioma used more analgesics. CONCLUSIONS: A working capacity to the level of the general population was not achieved among hypopituitary patients, although receiving long-term GH therapy. Patients were less likely to use alcohol and tobacco. The CO GHD population lived a less independent life.

Publishing year

2013

Language

English

Pages

842-852

Publication/Series

Psychoneuroendocrinology

Volume

38

Issue

6

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Environmental Health and Occupational Health

Status

Published

Research group

  • Paediatric Endocrinology

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1873-3360