Gastrointestinal symptoms in acromegaly: A case control study

Table 1 Acromegaly demographic and treatment data

	Controls	Acromegaly patients
n	200	50
M:F	96:104	24:26
Age at diagnosis (mean, yr)	33	32.44
Years since diagnosis (mean, yr)	-	11.8 yr
Transsphenoidal surgery	-	50 (100%)
Pituitary radiotherapy	-	21 (42%)
Somatostatin analogue	-	37 (74%)

Table 2 Acromegaly abdominal symptoms and medicine use

		Controls (n = 200)	Acromegaly patients (n = 50)	P value (Fisher’s exact test)
Gastrointestinal symptoms		32 (16%)	46 (92%)
	Abdominal pain	19 (9.5%)	11(22%)	0.4905
	Diarrhoea	8 (4%)	4 (8%)	0.2652
	Constipation	15 (7.5%)	34 (68%)	< 0.00001b
Medicines
	Regular use of anti-secretory (PPI/H2RA)/antacids	11 (6.5%)	31 (62%)	< 0.00001b
	Regular use of laxatives	6 (3%)	46 (92%)	< 0.00001b
	Regular use of opioid analgesics	11 (6.5%)	2 (4%)	Not statistically significant
	Somatostatin analogues	-	37 (74%)

^bP < 0.01, statistically significant. PPI: Proton pump inhibitor; H2RA: Histamine H2 receptor antagonists.

Table 3 Gastrointestinal symptoms in acromegaly patients compared with controls

		Controls, n = 200 (%)	Acromegaly patients, n = 50 (%)	P value (Fisher’s exact test)
Oesophageal disorders
	Functional chest pain	2 (1%)	3 (6%)	0.0561
	Functional heartburn	22 (11%)	15 (30%)	0.0016b
	Globus	2 (1%)	2 (4%)	0.1796
	Functional dysphagia	4 (2%)	6 (12%)	0.0053b
Gastroduodenal disorders
	Functional dyspepsia	14 (7%)	12 (24%)	0.0013b
	Belching disorders	8 (4%)	5 (10%)	0.1441
	Nausea and vomiting disorders	2 (1%)	2 (4%)	0.1796
	Rumination syndrome	2 (1%)	1 (2%)	0.4895
Bowel disorders
	Irritable bowel syndrome	12 (6%)	10 (20%)	0.0041b
	Functional constipation	22 (11%)	34 (68%)	0.0006b
	Functional diarrhoea	10 (5%)	9 (18%)	0.0048b
	Functional abdominal bloating/distension	12 (6%)	11 (22%)	0.0015b
	Unspecified functional bowel disorder	44 (22%)	25 (50%)	0.0002b
Centrally mediated Abdominal pain syndrome		6 (3%)	4 (8%)	0.1165
Functional Biliary pain		1 (0.5%)	3 (6%)	0.0261a
Anorectal disorders
	Faecal incontinence	1 (0.5%)	2 (4%)	0.1028
	Functional anorectal pain	2 (1%)	4 (8%)	0.0157a

^aP < 0.05,

^bP < 0.01, statistically significant.

Table 4 Quality of life scores in acromegaly patients

	Controls (mean scores)	Acromegaly (mean scores)	Independent sample t test
Physical functioning	100.0	80.0	0.80516
Role limitations due to physical health	100.0	50.0	0.001053b
Role limitations due to emotional problems	100.0	100.0	1
Level of energy/fatigue	95.0	45.0	0.001053b
Emotional wellbeing	100.0	68.0	0.002175b
Social functioning	87.5	50.0	< 0.000076b
Pain	77.5	67.5	0.1732
General health	100	30.0	< 0.0001b

^bP < 0.01, statistically significant.