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Mortality and GH deficiency: a nationwide study

Medical Department M (Endocrinology and Diabetes), Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus Sygehus, NBG, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark, ¹ Department of Pharmacology, University of Aarhus, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark, ² Department of Endocrinology, Aalborg University Hospital, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark, ³ Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark, ⁴ Department of Endocrinology, Herlev University Hospital, 2730 Herlev, Denmark, ⁵ Department of Endocrinology PE, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark, ⁶ Department of Biostatistics, University of Aarhus, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark, ⁷ Department of Applied Research and HTA, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark and ⁸ Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense C, Denmark

(Correspondence should be addressed to K Stochholm; Email: stochholm{at}dadlnet.dk)

Objective: To estimate the mortality in Denmark in patients suffering from GH deficiency (GHD).

Design: Mortality was analyzed in 1794 GHD patients and 8014 controls matched on age and gender. All records in GHD patients were studied and additional morbidity noted. Patients were divided into childhood onset (CO) and adult onset (AO), discriminated by an age cutoff below or above 18 years at onset of GHD.

Method: Data on death were identified in national registries. Sex- and cause-specific mortalities were identified in CO and AO GHD when compared with controls.

Results: Mortality was increased in CO and AO GHD in both genders, when compared with controls. The hazard ratio (HR) for CO males was 8.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.5–15.1) and for females 9.4 (CI 4.6–19.4). For AO males, HR was 1.9 (CI 1.7–2.2) and for females 3.4 (CI 2.9–4.0). We found a significantly higher HR in AO females versus AO males, both compared with controls (P < 0.001). In AO, mortality was increased due to cancer in all subgroups, due to circulatory diseases in all age groups for females and for males in the oldest age group. For CO, the increased mortality was due to cancer.

Conclusions: We found a significantly increased mortality in GHD patients when compared with controls, possibly due to their hypopituitary status. Mortality was increased in AO female patients when compared with males. For CO and AO GHD, different causes of significantly increased mortality were identified.

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				K. Stochholm, T. Laursen, A. Green, P. Laurberg, M. Andersen, L. O. Kristensen, U. Feldt-Rasmussen, J. S. Christiansen, M. Frydenberg, and C. H. Gravholt Morbidity and GH deficiency: a nationwide study. Eur. J. Endocrinol., April 1, 2008; 158(4): 447 - 457. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]