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https://doi.org/10.1530/EJE-19-0794
European Journal of Endocrinology
182:3 285–292 N A Tritos and others Mortality in acromegaly on
pegvisomant
All-cause mortality in patients with
acromegaly treated with pegvisomant:
an ACROSTUDY analysis
Nicholas A Tritos
1
, Anders F Mattsson
2
, Greisa Vila
3
, Beverly M K Biller
1
, Anne Klibanski
1
, Srinivas Valluri
4
,
Judith Hey-Hadavi
5
, Nicky Kelepouris
5
and Camilo Jimenez
6
1
Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,
2
Pfzer Endocrine Care, Pfzer Health AB, Sollentuna, Sweden,
3
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism,
Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria,
4
Global Biometrics and Data
Management, Pfzer Inc, New York, New York, USA,
5
Pfzer Endocrine Care, Inc, New York, New York, USA, and
6
Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center,
Houston, Texas, USA
Abstract
Objective: To examine all-cause mortality rates in patients with acromegaly on pegvisomant and identify pertinent risk
factors, including insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I).
Design: Retrospective cohort analysis of data from ACROSTUDY (global surveillance study of patients with acromegaly
treated with pegvisomant).
Methods: Kaplan–Meier analyses and Cox regression techniques were used to examine survival rates. Standardized
mortality ratios (SMR) with reference to general population (WHO GBD 2016) were estimated. Multiplicative multiple
Poisson regression models were used to characterize the association between SMR, IGF-I, and other risk factors
associated with mortality risk.
Results: The study consisted of 2077 subjects who were followed for a median interval of 4.1 years, contributing to
8957 patient-years. Higher on-treatment IGF-I (P = 0.0035), older attained age (P < 0.0001), and longer duration of
acromegaly (>10 years) before starting pegvisomant (P = 0.05) were associated with higher mortality rates. In reference
to general population rates, higher SMR (1.10, 1.42, and 2.62, at attained age 55 years) were observed with higher
serum IGF-I category (SMR trend: 1.44 (44%)/per fold level of IGF-I/ULN (95% CI: 1.10, 1.87), P = 0.0075). SMR increased
per year of younger attained age (1.04 (1.02–1.04), P < 0.0001) and were higher for longer disease duration
(>10 years) before starting pegvisomant (1.57 (1.02, 2.43), P = 0.042). Serum IGF-I levels within the normal range during
pegvisomant therapy were associated with all-cause mortality rates that were indistinguishable from the general
population.
Conclusions: Higher on-treatment IGF-I, older attained age, and longer duration of acromegaly before starting
pegvisomant are associated with higher all-cause mortality rates. Younger patients with uncontrolled acromegaly have
higher excess all-cause mortality rates in comparison with older patients.
Introduction
Acromegaly has been associated with increased all-
cause mortality, attributed to higher cardiovascular
and cerebrovascular mortality (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Whether
malignancy-related morbidity and mortality is increased
in patients with acromegaly is less certain (6, 7). Achieving
biochemical control of excess growth hormone (GH)
Correspondence
should be addressed
to N A Tritos
Email
ntritos@mgh.harvard.edu
Clinical Study
European Journal of
Endocrinology
(2020) 182, 285–292
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