Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38545799›Full record

Trial reportAndrology2025

Exploring sexual function in adrenal insufficiency: findings from the Dual RElease hydrocortisone versus conventionAl glucocorticoid replaceMent therapy in hypocortisolism (DREAM) trial.

Valeria Hasenmajer, Dario De Alcubierre, Davide Ferrari, Marianna Minnetti, Ilaria Bonaventura, Riccardo Pofi, Chiara Simeoli, Alessandra Tomaselli, Francesca Sciarra, Grazia Bottillo and 7 more

Open access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled TrialMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in Andrology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
2.1field-weighted citation impact, top 12% 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Extended-release Hydrocortisone Formulations-Is There a Clinically Meaningful Benefit?The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2025
    Review
  3. 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

17 authors at 7 institutions in 3 countries.

Valeria HasenmajerDepartment of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Dario De AlcubierreDepartment of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Davide FerrariDepartment of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Marianna MinnettiDepartment of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Ilaria BonaventuraDepartment of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Riccardo PofiOxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Chiara SimeoliDipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Università Federico II di Napoli, Naples, Italy.
Alessandra TomaselliDepartment of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Francesca SciarraDepartment of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Grazia BottilloLaboratory of Cutaneous Physiopathology and Integrated Centre for Metabolomics Research, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute - IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Francesco AngeliniDepartment of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Alessia CozzolinoDepartment of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Mary Anna VenneriDepartment of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Emmanuele A JanniniDepartment of Systems Medicine, Endocrinology and Medical Sexology (ENDOSEX), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-5874-039X
Daniele GianfrilliDepartment of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-2682-8266
Rosario PivonelloDipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Università Federico II di Napoli, Naples, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-9632-1348
Andrea M IsidoriDepartment of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-9037-5417
Sapienza University of Rome · ITUniversity of Naples Federico II · ITChurchill Hospital · GBPoliclinico Umberto I · ITSan Gallicano Hospital · ITUniversité Claude Bernard Lyon 1 · FRUniversity of Rome Tor Vergata · IT

Funding

European Union, National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Investment PE8 - Project Age-It: "Ageing Well in an Ageing Society" B53C22004090006Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca MIUR 2015ZTT5KBMinistero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca MIUR RBAP109BLT
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundData on sexual function in patients with adrenal insufficiency are scarce and largely controversial.

objectivesTo investigate sexual dysfunction in patients with primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency and the effects of switching to once-daily dual-release hydrocortisone on sexual function in outcome assessors blinded, randomized, multicenter, active comparator clinical trial. MATERIALS AND

methodsEighty-nine adrenal insufficiency patients on conventional, multiple daily doses of glucocorticoid replacement, enrolled in the Dual RElease hydrocortisone versus conventionAl glucocorticoid replaceMent in hypocortisolism (DREAM) trial, were randomly assigned to continue their therapy or to switch to an equivalent dose of dual-release hydrocortisone. Sixty-three patients (34 women) consented to sex steroid measurements and questionnaires completion for quality of life (Addison's disease-specific quality-of-life questionnaire) and sexual function evaluation (female sexual function index for women, International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function for men) at baseline and 24 weeks after randomization.

resultsAt baseline, sexual dysfunction was observed in 41% of women and 59% of men with adrenal insufficiency. In both sexes, no associations were found between sexual function and hormone levels, whereas Addison's disease-specific quality-of-life questionnaire total and fatigue domain scores positively correlated with total female sexual function index and International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function scores. At 24 weeks, there was no significant difference either in sexual function or sex steroid levels between study groups. In the dual-release hydrocortisone group, the variation in the female sexual function index desire domain score was positively associated with the change in Addison's disease-specific quality-of-life questionnaire's symptom domain score (ρ = 0.478, p = 0.045). DISCUSSION: Sexual dysfunction is common in adrenal insufficiency patients and is likely explained by multiple factors. dual-release hydrocortisone treatment is not directly associated with sexual function improvement, but an indirect effect mediated by quality-of-life amelioration cannot be excluded.

Indexed as

Adrenal InsufficiencyGlucocorticoidsHormone Replacement TherapyHydrocortisoneSexual Dysfunction, PhysiologicalAdultAgedDelayed-Action PreparationsFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality of LifeSurveys and QuestionnairesTreatment OutcomeDelayed-Action PreparationsGlucocorticoidsHydrocortisoneadrenal insufficiencydual‐release hydrocortisoneerectile dysfunctionsexual function

Identifiers

PMID38545799
PMCPMC11815544
OpenAlexW4393265483

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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 Socratic graph.