Question: Dr. Andela, you investigated whether group support sessions could be helpful during the recovery process. What were your findings? 

Answer: Yes, while patients report continuing psychosocial and mood difficulties, there has been no information available as to whether support via a group effort could help improve quality of life following successful treatment. Thus, we investigated 188 pituitary patients who were divided into groups; one group received no support and the others met for 90 min every week for 8 weeks with others whom had experienced the same pituitary condition. We found that patients that met as part of a group, considered mood problems less bothersome, expressed less concern related to the pituitary disease, and reported more self-efficacy. This study indicates that support interventions could positively affect well-being of patients with pituitary disease.

Endo 2016: Self-Efficacy Improves after a Self-Management Intervention in Patients with Pituitary Disease: Results of a Multicenter Randomized-Controlled Trial, Poster Board LBSat-32

Authors: Cornelie D. Andela (1), Han Repping-Wuts (2), Nike Stikkelbroeck (2), Mathilde C. Pronk (1), Jitske Tiemensma, PhD (3), Ron Wolterbeek (4), Ad RMM Hermus, MD, PhD (2), Adrian A Kaptein, PhD (5), Alberto M. Pereira, MD, PhD (1), Noëlle GA Kamminga, PhD (5) and Nienke R. Biermasz, MD, PhD (1)

1 Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands, 2 Radboud University Medical Center, Netherlands, 3 University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, 4 Leiden University Medical Center, 5 Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands

Newsletter: Summer, 2016