Endocrine Abstracts

Purpose: We conducted this study to determine the prevalence and incidence of pituitary tumors in South Korea.

Methods: This is a nationwide population- based retrospective study. We analysed two national databases, the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) claims database and Rare Intractable Disease (RID) registration database, which include information on every patients with pituitary tumor diagnosed through uniform criteria from 2009 to 2013. Pituitary tumor was defined into three types based on the ICD-code; i) D35.2 (benign pituitary neoplasm), ii) D35.2+E 22.0 (acromegaly) +E24.0 (Cushing disease), or iii) D35.2+E22.0+E24.0+E22.1 (Hyperprolactinemia) &co-entered D35.2.

Results: The prevalence and incidence of pituitary tumors were described based on the three definitions. By definition i), 25 135 patients had pituitary tumors and included in the prevalence estimates. The prevalence was 40.8, 31.4 and 50.1 per 10⁵ populations in total, men and women, respectively. During 2011–2013, total 8 234 incident cases were identified and the incidence was 17.3, 13.7 and 21.0 per 10⁵ in total, men and women, respectively. By definition ii), total 25 135 patients had pituitary tumors and prevalence was 52.4, 37.5 and 67.1 per 10⁵ populations in total, men and women, respectively. For the incidence estimate, 10 359 patients were identified and the incidence was 21.6, 15.8 and 27.3 per 10⁵ in total, men and women, respectively. By definition iii), total 30 175 patients had pituitary tumors and prevalence was 62.9, 38.7 and 86.8 per 10⁵ populations in total, men and women, respectively. For the incidence estimate, total 12 544 patients were identified and the incidence was 26.1, 16.3 and 35.9 per 10⁵ in total, men and women, respectively.

Conclusions: This study provides reliable information of the epidemiology of pituitary tumors in Asian population, and may help to manage this disease accordingly within our healthcare system.