Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35041193›Full record

SynthesisJournal of endocrinological investigation2022

Testosterone supplementation and bone parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis study.

G Corona, W Vena, A Pizzocaro, V A Giagulli, D Francomano, G Rastrelli, G Mazziotti, A Aversa, A M Isidori, R Pivonello and 4 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of endocrinological investigation, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
35citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
7.5field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

35 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 57 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Guideline
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Accelerometer-measured weekly and diurnal moderate-to-vigorous physical activity patterns and incident osteoporosis.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2026
    Article
  7. Review
  8. Rethinking Osteoporosis Drugs: Can We Simultaneously Address Sarcopenia?International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Review
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Testosterone Replacement Therapy Is Associated With Increased Incidence Rate of Vertebral Fractures: A Matched Retrospective Analysis.Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews · 2025
    Article
  14. Review
  15. Review
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors at 11 institutions in 1 country.

G CoronaEndocrinology Unit, Medical Department, Azienda Usl, Maggiore-Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
W VenaUnit of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Medical Andrology, IRCSS, Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
A PizzocaroUnit of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Medical Andrology, IRCSS, Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
V A GiagulliSanta Maria Hospital, GVM Care & Research, Bari, Italy.
D FrancomanoUnit of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Madonna Delle Grazie Hospital, Velletri, Rome, Italy.
G RastrelliAndrology, Women's Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Mario Serio Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
G MazziottiUnit of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Medical Andrology, IRCSS, Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
A AversaDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
A M IsidoriDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome-Policlinico Umberto I Hospital, Rome, Italy.
R PivonelloDipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Unità di Andrologia e Medicina della Riproduzione e della Sessualità Maschile e Femminile, Università Federico II di Napoli, Naples, Italy.
L VignozziAndrology, Women's Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Mario Serio Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
E MannucciDepartment of Diabetology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Careggi and University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
M MaggiEndocrinology Unit, Mario Serio Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139, Florence, Italy. m.maggi@dfc.unifi.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3267-4221
A FerlinDepartment of Medicine, Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
University of Florence · ITIRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital · ITAzienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi · ITAzienda USL di Bologna · ITFederico II University Hospital · ITHumanitas University · ITMagna Graecia University · ITOspedale Madonna Delle Grazie · ITPoliclinico Umberto I · ITSanta Maria Nuova Hospital · ITUniversity of Padua · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe role of testosterone (T) replacement therapy (TRT) in subjects with late onset hypogonadism is still the object of an intense debate.

methodsAll observational studies and placebo-controlled or -uncontrolled randomized trials (RCTs) comparing the effect of TRT on different bone parameters were considered.

resultsOut of 349 articles, 36 were considered, including 3103 individuals with a mean trial duration of 66.6 weeks. TRT improves areal bone mineral density (aBMD) at the spine and femoral neck levels in observational studies, whereas placebo-controlled RTCs showed a positive effect of TRT only at lumber spine and when trials included only hypogonadal patients at baseline (total testosterone < 12 nM). The effects on aBMD were more evident in subjects with lower T levels at baseline and increased as a function of trial duration and a higher prevalence of diabetic subjects. Either T or estradiol increase at endpoint contributed to aBMD improvement. TRT was associated with a significant reduction of bone resorption markers in observational but not in controlled studies.

conclusionTRT is able to inhibit bone resorption and increase bone mass, particularly at the lumbar spine level and when the duration is long enough to allow the anabolic effect of T and estrogens on bone metabolism to take place.

Indexed as

Bone ResorptionHypogonadismBone DensityDietary SupplementsFemur NeckHormone Replacement TherapyHumansLumbar VertebraeTestosteroneTestosteroneBoneBone mineral densityHypogonadismLate-onset hypogonadismTestosterone

Identifiers

PMID35041193
OpenAlexW4206171882

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.