QUALITY-OF-LIFE AMONG FORMERLY TREATED CHILDHOOD-ONSET GROWTH HORMONE-DEFICIENT ADULTS - A COMPARISON WITH UNAFFECTED SIBLINGS

Several studies have investigated the quality of life (QOL) of GH-defi cient (GHD) adults who, as children, had been treated with GK. Variabl e findings are probably related to sample heterogeneity and disparate research methodologies and designs, particularly the choice of control or comparison groups. In addition to comparing a relatively large sam ple to questionnaire norms, the present study is the first to compare the QOL adjustment of GHD patients to that of same sex siblings. A tot al of 140 former patients (76% of those eligible; mean age, 26 yr; n = 95 isolated GHD, n = 45 multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies; 117 males and 23 females) and 53 same sex siblings (84% participation), 18 yr and older, participated in the telephone questionnaire survey. The majority of interviews with GHD patients (78%) and siblings (87%) wer e conducted blind to the subject's clinical status. Comparisons betwee n GHD patients and norms for standardized questionnaires indicated bot h better and worse functioning in several domains. In contrast, very l imited differences were detected between GHD cases and same sex siblin gs. Isolated GHD patients were functioning better than those with mult iple pituitary hormone deficiencies, but the effect sizes of these dif ferences in most areas were relatively small. Adult height and degree of growth over the course of GH therapy were generally unrelated to QO L outcomes. Findings from the present study underscore the importance of selecting unbiased control/comparison groups in evaluating psycholo gical outcomes among GHD adults.