Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40828484›Full record

SynthesisJournal of endocrinological investigation2026

Could thyrotropin serum level characterize major depressive disorder phenotype? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Elisa Gatta, Virginia Maltese, Massimiliano Ugoccioni, Irene Silvestrini, Sara Corvaglia, Simone Vetrugno, Anna Ceraso, Antonio Vita, Mario Rotondi, Carlo Cappelli

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of endocrinological investigation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

10 authors.

Elisa GattaDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, SSD Endocrinologia, University of Brescia, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.
Virginia MalteseDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, SSD Endocrinologia, University of Brescia, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.
Massimiliano UgoccioniDepartment of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Irene SilvestriniDepartment of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Sara CorvagliaDepartment of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Simone VetrugnoDepartment of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Anna CerasoDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, University of Brescia, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.
Antonio VitaDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, University of Brescia, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.
Mario RotondiDepartment of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Carlo CappelliDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, SSD Endocrinologia, University of Brescia, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy. carlo.cappelli@unibs.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4317-1232

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAim of this systematic review is to evaluate if and how thyrotropin (TSH) serum level levels may influence major depressive disorders (MDD) in drug naïve patients, and if it could characterize MDD phenotype.

methodsA PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science databases was researched up to January 2025. The studies eligible addressed the questions define based on the PICO framework: (1) Are TSH levels different between first episode drug-naïve (FEDN) patients diagnosed with MDD and healthy subjects? (2) What are the TSH levels in FEDN patients diagnosed with MDD who attempt suicide compared to who do not? This review followed PRISMA guidelines. The quality assessment and the risk of bias were analyzed using QUADAS-2.

resultsWe included 45 studies in the qualitative synthesis, and 18 in the quantitative one, encompassing a total of 34,448 participants. Our systematic review showed conflicting data about TSH levels in FEDN MDD patients compared to healthy subjects. However, the meta-analysis showed in 6,224 patients that higher TSH levels are related to an increased risk of suicide attempt (Standardized Mean Difference = 1.848 mIU/L, C.I. 95%:1.506 to 2.190) with moderate-high heterogeneity across studies (I

conclusionWe showed conflicting data about TSH levels in FEDN MDD patients compared to healthy subjects. On the contrary, the meta-analysis evidenced significant higher TSH levels among MDD patients with suicide attempt than those without it. The clinical implications of this finding have yet to be established.

Indexed as

BiomarkersMajor Depressive DisorderThyrotropinHumansPhenotypeSuicide, AttemptedBiomarkersThyrotropinDepressionMajor depressive disorderThyroidThyroid hormones

Identifiers

PMID40828484
PMCPMC13053577

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Registered trials

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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.