Endocrinol Metab.  2021 Jun;36(3):688-696. 10.3803/EnM.2021.1000.

Descriptive Epidemiology and Survival Analysis of Prolactinomas and Cushing’s Disease in Korea

• Park JS
• Yun SJ
• Lee JK
• Park SY
• Chin SO

• KMID: 2517659
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2021.1000

Abstract

Background
Only a few studies have established the epidemiology of prolactinoma and Cushing’s disease in Korea. Furthermore, the incidence of these disease are increasing than before associated with the development of technologies. This study was designed to evaluate the epidemiology of prolactinoma and Cushing’s disease and their survival analysis according to treatment.
Methods
The nationwide, population-based study evaluated incidence and prevalence of prolactinoma and Cushing’s disease using de-identified claims data in The Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database between 2013 and 2017. The survival analysis investigated regarding treatment over a period of 6 years. A log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis were used.
Results
The 6,056 patients with newly diagnosed prolactinoma and 584 patients with Cushing’s disease were recorded between 2013 and 2017. The annual incidence of prolactinoma was 23.5 cases per million, and its prevalence was 82.5 cases per million, and 2.3 cases per million/year and 9.8 cases per million for Cushing’s disease. The survival benefit was insignificant in prolactinoma according to treatment, but treatment of Cushing’s disease ameliorated the survival rate significantly.
Conclusion
Overall, the incidence of prolactinoma and Cushing’s disease was similar with those found previously, but the prevalence of two diseases were inconsistent when compared with the early studies. The present study also proposed necessity of treatment in Cushing’s disease for improving the survival rate.

Keyword

Prolactinoma; Pituitary ACTH hypersecretion; Incidence; Prevalence; Survival analysis; Epidemiology

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Incidence rate of prolactinoma in Korea during 2013 to 2017: (A) number of newly diagnosed patients with prolactinoma (B) incidence and prevalence rates of prolactinoma per million.

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  Fig. 2. Incidence rate of Cushing’s disease in Korea during 2013 to 2017: (A) number of newly diagnosed patients with Cushing’s disease (B) incidence and prevalence rates of Cushing’s disease per million.

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  Fig. 3. Probability of survival in (A) prolactinoma (B) Cushing’s disease between treated and untreated patients (curve difference, P=0.1066 for prolactinoma; P=0.0029 for Cushing’s disease).

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