Effect of Thyroid Status Modulation on Pituitary and Peripheral Hormone Concentrations in Healthy Older Subjects.

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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

Primary thyroid dysfunction and changes in the gonadal axis and SHBG in adult men: a prospective cohort study.European thyroid journal · 2026
Article
New Insights in the Diagnostic Potential of Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG)-Clinical Approach.Biomedicines · 2025
Review

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

7 authors.

Evie van der SpoelSection Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Saskia CornetSection Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Ana ZutinicSection Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Bart BallieuxDepartment of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

P Eline SlagboomSection Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Hanno PijlSection Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Diana van HeemstSection Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDepending on age, sex, and familial longevity, alterations in thyroid status occur frequently and often co-occur with differences in other hormonal axes. However, studies that explore the effects of thyroid status modulation on other hormonal axes remain scarce. We aimed to determine the effects of thyroid status modulation on prolactin, IGF-1, cortisol, LH, testosterone, and SHBG levels. We also explored whether effects differed depending on type of challenge, sex, and familial longevity.

methodsData were gathered from two single-arm challenge studies comprising an intramuscular injection of 0.1 mg recombinant human TSH (rhTSH, N = 29) or 100 µg T3 orally (N = 27) in healthy older individuals. Changes in hormone concentration profiles relative to baseline were determined for 4 and 5 days, respectively.

resultsIGF-1 increased with a maximum of 6.3% (SEM = 1.6%, p = 0.002) in the rhTSH challenge and 8.8% (SEM = 1.6%, p < 0.001) in the T3 challenge, while LH (19.3% [SEM = 6.6%, p = 0.048]), testosterone (13.8% [SEM = 4.7%, p = 0.048]), and SHBG (11.8% [SEM = 3.5%, p = 0.02]) increased significantly in the T3 challenge only. Moreover, prolactin significantly decreased in both rhTSH and T3 challenges (-8.8% [SEM = 3.4%, p = 0.048] and -12.0% [3.3%, p = 0.004], respectively) as did cortisol (-14.8% [SEM = 3.6%, p < 0.001] and -15.6% [SEM = 3.5%, p < 0.001]). There was no significant interaction with type of challenge, sex, or familial longevity, except for prolactin in the rhTSH challenge (p = 0.004) which decreased significantly in men only.

conclusionsUpon modulation of thyroid status, changes were observed in IGF-1, prolactin, and cortisol. In the T3 challenge, LH, testosterone, and SHBG increased in men. Observed changes are hypothesized to be driven by (f)T3.

introductionDepending on age, sex, and familial longevity, alterations in thyroid status occur frequently and often co-occur with differences in other hormonal axes. However, studies that explore the effects of thyroid status modulation on other hormonal axes remain scarce. We aimed to determine the effects of thyroid status modulation on prolactin, IGF-1, cortisol, LH, testosterone, and SHBG levels. We also explored whether effects differed depending on type of challenge, sex, and familial longevity.

methodsData were gathered from two single-arm challenge studies comprising an intramuscular injection of 0.1 mg recombinant human TSH (rhTSH, N = 29) or 100 µg T3 orally (N = 27) in healthy older individuals. Changes in hormone concentration profiles relative to baseline were determined for 4 and 5 days, respectively.

resultsIGF-1 increased with a maximum of 6.3% (SEM = 1.6%, p = 0.002) in the rhTSH challenge and 8.8% (SEM = 1.6%, p < 0.001) in the T3 challenge, while LH (19.3% [SEM = 6.6%, p = 0.048]), testosterone (13.8% [SEM = 4.7%, p = 0.048]), and SHBG (11.8% [SEM = 3.5%, p = 0.02]) increased significantly in the T3 challenge only. Moreover, prolactin significantly decreased in both rhTSH and T3 challenges (-8.8% [SEM = 3.4%, p = 0.048] and -12.0% [3.3%, p = 0.004], respectively) as did cortisol (-14.8% [SEM = 3.6%, p < 0.001] and -15.6% [SEM = 3.5%, p < 0.001]). There was no significant interaction with type of challenge, sex, or familial longevity, except for prolactin in the rhTSH challenge (p = 0.004) which decreased significantly in men only.

conclusionsUpon modulation of thyroid status, changes were observed in IGF-1, prolactin, and cortisol. In the T3 challenge, LH, testosterone, and SHBG increased in men. Observed changes are hypothesized to be driven by (f)T3.

Indexed as

Pituitary GlandThyroid GlandTriiodothyronineAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansHydrocortisoneInsulin-Like Growth Factor ILuteinizing HormoneMaleMiddle AgedProlactinSex Hormone-Binding GlobulinTestosteroneThyrotropinHydrocortisoneIGF1 protein, humanInsulin-Like Growth Factor ILuteinizing HormoneProlactinSex Hormone-Binding GlobulinTestosteroneThyrotropinTriiodothyronineCortisolInsulin-like growth factor 1Luteinizing hormoneProlactinTestosteroneThyroid