Treatment burden, adherence, and quality of life in children with daily GH treatment in France

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Abstract

Objective

The objective of this study was to describe in a real-life setting the treatment burden and adherence and quality of life (QOL) of children treated with daily injections of growth hormone and their relationship with treatment duration.

Design

This non-interventional, multicenter, cross-sectional French study involved children aged 3–17 years treated with daily growth hormone injections.

Methods

Based on a recent validated dyad questionnaire, the mean overall life interference total score (100 = most interference) was described, with treatment adherence and QOL, using the Quality of Life of Short Stature Youth questionnaire (100 = best). All analyses were performed according to treatment duration prior to inclusion.

Results

Among the 275/277 analyzed children, 166 (60.4%) had only growth hormone deficiency (GHD). In the GHD group, the mean age was 11.7 ± 3.2 years; median treatment duration was 3.3 years (interquartile range 1.8–6.4). The mean overall life interference total score was 27.7 ± 20.7 (95% CI (24.2; 31.2)), with non-significant correlation with treatment duration ( P = 0.1925). Treatment adherence was good (95.0% of children reported receiving >80% of planned injections over the last month); it slightly decreased with treatment duration ( P = 0.0364). Children’s overall QOL was good (81.5 ± 16.6 and 77.6 ± 18.7 according to children and parents, respectively), but subscores of the coping and treatment impact domains were <50. Similar results were observed in all patients independently of the condition requiring treatment.

Conclusions

This real-life French cohort confirms the treatment burden of daily growth hormone injections, as previously reported in an interventional study.

Related collections

Most cited references 25

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The PedsQL: measurement model for the pediatric quality of life inventory.

James Varni, Michael Seid, Cheryl Rode (1999)

Pediatric patients' self-report of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has emerged as an important patient-based health outcome. A practical, validated generic measure of HRQOL facilitates assessing risk, tracking health status, and measuring treatment outcomes in pediatric populations. The PedsQL is a brief, standardized, generic assessment instrument that systematically assesses patients' and parents' perceptions of HRQOL in pediatric patients with chronic health conditions using pediatric cancer as an exemplary model. The PedsQL is based on a modular approach to measuring HRQOL and consists of a 15-item core measure of global HRQOL and eight supplemental modules assessing specific symptom or treatment domains. The PedsQL was empirically derived from data collected from 291 pediatric cancer patients and their parents at various stages of treatment. Both reliability and validity were determined. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the core measure (alpha = .83 for patient and alpha = .86 for parent) were acceptable for group comparisons. Alphas for the patient self-report modules generally ranged from .70 to .89. Discriminant or clinical validity, using the known-groups approach, was demonstrated for patients on- versus off-treatments. The 11 scales showed small-to-medium positive intercorrelations, supporting the multidimensional measurement model. Further construct validity was demonstrated via a multimethod-multitrait matrix using standardized psychosocial questionnaires. The results support the PedsQL as a reliable and valid measure of HRQOL. The PedsQL core and modular design makes it flexible enough to be used in a variety of research and clinical applications for pediatric chronic health conditions.

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Consensus statement on the diagnosis and treatment of children with idiopathic short stature: a summary of the Growth Hormone Research Society, the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society, and the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Workshop.

P. Cohen, A Rogol, C L Deal … (2008)

Our objective was to summarize important advances in the management of children with idiopathic short stature (ISS). Participants were 32 invited leaders in the field. Evidence was obtained by extensive literature review and from clinical experience. Participants reviewed discussion summaries, voted, and reached a majority decision on each document section. ISS is defined auxologically by a height below -2 sd score (SDS) without findings of disease as evident by a complete evaluation by a pediatric endocrinologist including stimulated GH levels. Magnetic resonance imaging is not necessary in patients with ISS. ISS may be a risk factor for psychosocial problems, but true psychopathology is rare. In the United States and seven other countries, the regulatory authorities approved GH treatment (at doses up to 53 microg/kg.d) for children shorter than -2.25 SDS, whereas in other countries, lower cutoffs are proposed. Aromatase inhibition increases predicted adult height in males with ISS, but adult-height data are not available. Psychological counseling is worthwhile to consider instead of or as an adjunct to hormone treatment. The predicted height may be inaccurate and is not an absolute criterion for GH treatment decisions. The shorter the child, the more consideration should be given to GH. Successful first-year response to GH treatment includes an increase in height SDS of more than 0.3-0.5. The mean increase in adult height in children with ISS attributable to GH therapy (average duration of 4-7 yr) is 3.5-7.5 cm. Responses are highly variable. IGF-I levels may be helpful in assessing compliance and GH sensitivity; levels that are consistently elevated (>2.5 SDS) should prompt consideration of GH dose reduction. GH therapy for children with ISS has a similar safety profile to other GH indications.

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Consensus guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of adults with GH deficiency II: a statement of the GH Research Society in association with the European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology, Lawson Wilkins Society, European Society of Endocrinology, Japan Endocrine Society, and Endocrine Society of Australia.

Ken Ho (2007)

The GH Research Society held a Consensus Workshop in Sydney, Australia, 2007 to incorporate the important advances in the management of GH deficiency (GHD) in adults, which have taken place since the inaugural 1997 Consensus Workshop. Two commissioned review papers, previously published Consensus Statements of the Society and key questions were circulated before the Workshop, which comprised a rigorous structure of review with breakout discussion groups. A writing group transcribed the summary group reports for drafting in a plenary forum on the last day. All participants were sent a polished draft for additional comments and gave signed approval to the final revision. Testing for GHD should be extended from hypothalamic-pituitary disease and cranial irradiation to include traumatic brain injury. Testing may indicate isolated GHD; however, idiopathic isolated GHD occurring de novo in the adult is not a recognized entity. The insulin tolerance test, combined administration of GHRH with arginine or growth hormone-releasing peptide, and glucagon are validated GH stimulation tests in the adult. A low IGF-I is a reliable diagnostic indicator of GHD in the presence of hypopituitarism, but a normal IGF-I does not rule out GHD. GH status should be reevaluated in the transition age for continued treatment to complete somatic development. Interaction of GH with other axes may influence thyroid, glucocorticoid, and sex hormone requirements. Response should be assessed clinically by monitoring biochemistry, body composition, and quality of life. There is no evidence that GH replacement increases the risk of tumor recurrence or de novo malignancy.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Endocr Connect

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Endocr Connect

Journal ID (hwp): EC

Title: Endocrine Connections

Publisher: Bioscientifica Ltd (Bristol )

ISSN (Electronic): 2049-3614

Publication date (Electronic): 03 March 2023

Publication date (Electronic preprint): 03 March 2023

Publication date Collection: 01 April 2023

Volume: 12

Issue: 4

Electronic Location Identifier: e220464

Affiliations

[1 ]Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology , Reference Center for Rare Pituiatry Diseases, University Hospital of Angers, Angers, France

[2 ]Reference Center for the Prader-Willi syndrome and other rare obesities with feeding disorders (PRADORT) , Children Hospital, CHU Toulouse, Toulouse, France

[3 ]Pediatric team of the Clinical Investigation Center 9302/INSERM , Hospital of Children, Toulouse, France

[4 ]Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (Infinity) , INSERM UMR1291 - CNRS UMR5051 - Université Toulouse III, Toulouse, France

[5 ]GRANDIR - French Growth Disorders Association , Asnières-sur-Seine, France

[6 ]Pfizer France , Paris France

[7 ]eXYSTAT , Malakoff, France

[8 ]Health Economics Clinical Trial Unit (URC-ECO) , Hospital of Hotel-Dieu, AP-HP, Paris, France

[9 ]Patient-Reported Outcomes Unit (PROQOL) , UMR 1123, University Paris Cité, INSERM, Paris, France

[10 ]Hôpital Universitaire Necker Enfants Malades , Pediatric Endocrinology, Gynecology and Diabetology, Imagine Institute, INSERM U1163, Cochin Institute, INSERM U1016, Centre de référence des pathologies endocriniennes rares de la croissance et du développement, Université de Paris Cité, Paris, France