Baseline Characteristics and Response to 2 Years of Growth Hormone (GH) Replacement of Hypopituitary Patients with GH Deficiency due to Adult-Onset Craniopharyngioma in Comparison with Patients with Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenoma: Data from KIMS (Pfizer International Metabolic Database)

Abstract

In the KIMS database, patients with CP have more often undergone surgery by the transcranial route than patients with NFPA, have a higher prevalence of pituitary deficiencies, are more obese (predominantly males), and have more dyslipidemia. This could provide an explanation, at least in part, for the higher mortality rate in CP patients observed in epidemiological studies. CP patients respond equally well to GH therapy in fat-free mass, lipids, and quality of life, but are less likely to lose body fat. We assume that this difference in response merely reflects the stronger tendency of CP patients to accumulate fat over time.