Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Healthcare organisations worldwide are making use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to assess the impact of care received on patient’s health-related quality of life.

Aim: A cross-sectional pilot study designed to evaluate the suitability and validity of a proposed pituitary PROM questionnaire pack for patients having pituitary surgery.

Methods: The PROM pack comprised five questionnaires focused on symptoms and psychosocial well-being. Pituitary patients attending the Sussex Pituitary MDT Clinic between December 2013 and April 2014 were invited to take part. Patient demographic and conventional clinical outcome data was collected in parallel.

Results: Twenty of 28 (71%) perioperative patients attending clinic participated; age range 32–77 years (median 54.5), 65% males. Participants were mainly post-operative (65%), with a non-functioning adenoma (65%). Participants did not find the questionnaires distressing and were able to complete them at the clinic. Principal symptoms concerning them were fatigue, libido, and weight. Post-operative participants reported worse biopsychosocial wellbeing than pre-operative participants. Most participants reported good coping mechanisms and social well-being. Participants’ SF36 questionnaire data indicated worse quality of life compared to UK norms, although social function was better. HADS data showed similar levels of anxiety and depression to UK norms.

Discussion: The poorer wellbeing reported by post-operative participants may be explained by the recovery period post-operatively, compared to a preoperative state which may have been asymptomatic. These data suggest the timing of administration of PROM questionnaires following pituitary surgery may require elucidation, through collection of longitudinal data in the first instance. Our study, although small, suggests potential for PROM for assessment of pituitary patients.