The effects of growth hormone deficiency and replacement on glucocorticoid exposure in hypopituitary patients on cortisone acetate and hydrocortisone replacement

Objective: To describe baseline clinical presentation, treatment effects and evolution of isolated GH deficiency (IGHD) to multiple pituitary hormone deficiency (MPHD) in adult-onset (AO) GHD. Design: Observational prospective study. Methods: Baseline characteristics were recorded in 4110 patients with organic AO-GHD, who were GH naïve prior to entry into the Pfizer International Metabolic Database (KIMS; 283 (7%) IGHD, 3827 MPHD). The effect of GH replacement after 2 years was assessed in those with available follow-up data (133 IGHD, 2207 MPHD), and development of new deficiencies in those with available data on concomitant medication (165 IGHD, 3006 MPHD). Results: IGHD and MPHD patients had similar baseline clinical presentation, and both groups responded similarly to 2 years of GH therapy, with favourable changes in lipid profile and improved quality of life. New deficiencies were observed in 35% of IGHD patients, which was similar to MPHD patients with one additional deficit other than GH. New deficiencies most often presented within the first year but were observed up to 6 years after GH commencement. Conversion of IGHD into MPHD was not predicted by aetiology, baseline characteristics, surgery or radiotherapy, whereas in MPHD additional deficits were predicted by age (P!0.001) and pituitary disease duration (P!0.01). Conclusion: Both AO-IGHD and -MPHD patients have similar baseline clinical presentation and respond equally well to 2 years of GH replacement. Hypopituitarism in adults seems to be a dynamic condition where new deficiencies can appear years after the initial diagnosis, and careful endocrine follow-up of all hypopituitary patients, including those with IGHD, is warranted. European Journal of Endocrinology 161 S75-S83

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

From isolated GH deficiency to multiple pituitary hormone deficiency: an evolving continuum – a KIMS analysis

Klose

Jonsson²,

Abs³

et al. 2009

“…GH therapy reduces the mean ratio of Fm/Em (ratio of urine cortisol to cortisone metabolites) bringing patients with hypopituitarism on HC treatment closer to physiological glucocorticoid exposure. Mean serum cortisol levels also fall in all subjects, this finding is more significant in patients on cortisone acetate indicating that patients on this drug may be more susceptible to the effects of GH on 11bHSD type 1 (86). Thus, caution is advised when introducing GH treatment in patients on cortisol replacement, especially if on cortisone acetate, and all should be monitored for symptoms of impending adrenal insufficiency.…”

Section: Hormonal and Drug Interactionsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Inadequacies of glucocorticoid replacement and improvements by physiological circadian therapy

Debono

Ross²,

Newell‐Price

2009

114

Patients with adrenal insufficiency need lifelong glucocorticoid replacement, but many suffer from poor quality of life, and overall there is increased mortality. Moreover, it appears that use of glucocorticoids at the higher end of the replacement dose range is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular and metabolic bone disease. These data highlight some of the inadequacies of current regimes.The cortisol production rate is estimated to be equivalent to 5.7-7.4 mg/m 2 per day, and a major difficulty for replacement regimes is the inability to match the distinct circadian rhythm of circulating cortisol levels, which are low at the time of sleep onset, rise between 0200 and 0400 h, peaking just after waking and then fall during the day. Another issue is that current dose equivalents of glucocorticoids used for replacement are based on anti-inflammatory potency, and few data exist as to doses needed for equivalent cardiovascular and bone effects. Weight-adjusted, thrice-daily dosing using hydrocortisone (HC) reduces glucocorticoid overexposure and represents the most refined regime for current oral therapy, but does not replicate the normal cortisol rhythm. Recently, proof-of-concept studies have shown that more physiological circadian glucocorticoid therapy using HC infusions and newly developed oral formulations of HC have the potential for better biochemical control in patients with adrenal insufficiency. Whether such physiological replacement will have an impact on the complications seen in patients with adrenal insufficiency will need to be analysed in future clinical trials.

“…In the current study, however, the improvement in QoL was similar in GC-treated and ACTH-sufficient patients, and no association between HC dose and the improvement in QoL at 1 year was observed. It should also be noted that similar HCeq dose does not necessarily indicate similar tissue GC exposure, as determined by the ratio of urine 11-hydroxy/11-oxo cortisol metabolites, in patients on HC and CA (38).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relationship between glucocorticoid replacement and quality of life in 2737 hypopituitary patients

Ragnarsson

Mattsson

Monson

et al. 2014

Objective: Quality of life (QoL) is impaired in hypopituitary patients and patients with primary adrenal insufficiency. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of glucocorticoid (GC) replacement on QoL. The main hypothesis was that ACTHinsufficient patients experience a dose-dependent deterioration in QoL. Design, patients and methods: This was a retrospective analysis of data from KIMS (Pfizer International Metabolic Database). Data from 2737 adult GH-deficient (GHD) hypopituitary patients were eligible for analysis. Thirty-six per cent were ACTH sufficient and 64% ACTH insufficient receiving a meanGS.D. hydrocortisone equivalent (HCeq) dose of 22.3G8.7 mg (median 20.0). QoL at baseline and 1 year after commencement of GH replacement was assessed by the QoL-assessment of GHD in adults. Results: At baseline, no significant difference in QoL was observed between ACTH-sufficient and -insufficient patients. Increasing HCeq dose was associated with worse QoL. Patients on HCeq %10 mg had the best and patients receiving R25 mg demonstrated the poorest QoL. At 1 year of GH replacement, the improvement in QoL did not differ between ACTH-sufficient and -insufficient patients, and no association was observed between HCeq dose and QoL improvement. Conclusion: Adult hypopituitary patients with untreated GHD receiving GC replacement have similar QoL as ACTH-sufficient patients. Among ACTH-insufficient patients, there is a dose-dependent association between increasing dose and impaired QoL. This association may be explained by supraphysiological GC exposure although it remains plausible that clinicians may have increased GC doses in order to address otherwise unexplained QoL deficits.