Disease-related burden and treatment experience in patients with acromegaly: a gender perspective

Acromegaly, a rare endocrine disorder caused by excess growth hormone secretion, affects men and women similarly in prevalence, with women reporting a greater disease burden and a more impaired quality of life (QoL). It was the aim of the present study to investigate gender differences in subjective disease burden, comorbidities, treatment experience, satisfaction, and QoL in acromegaly, and assess whether QoL differences are mediated by comorbidities and/or gender-specific treatment experiences. In a multicenter cross-sectional study, 63 patients with biochemically confirmed acromegaly were surveyed using validated short scales (SF-12, WPAI, MK-HAI, ASKU, PDRQ-9) and self-developed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic data, disease status, subjective symptom load, comorbidities, and patient experiences. Statistical comparisons between men and women were conducted using nonparametric tests. Women reported significantly higher symptom burden, musculoskeletal comorbidities, and health anxiety, alongside lower physical and mental QoL scores, compared to men. Women expressed lower satisfaction with therapy success and greater perceived treatment need, despite similar patient–doctor relationship quality ratings. Women with acromegaly experience a disproportionate physical and psychological burden relative to men. Our findings, including the subjective treatment experiences, point to the role of comorbidities and differences in treatment outcome in shaping this disparity and underscore the need for patient-centered, gender-sensitive approaches to acromegaly care.