Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39899245›Full record

Observational studyJournal of endocrinological investigation2025

Growth hormone replacement therapy enhances humoral response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in patients with adult-onset growth hormone deficiency.

Davide Masi, Maria Elena Spoltore, Mariaignazia Curreli, Denise Costa, Elena Gangitano, Stefania Mariani, Antonio Angeloni, Lucio Gnessi, Emanuela Anastasi, Carla Lubrano

Abstract readObservational Study
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In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of endocrinological investigation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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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

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Davide Masi *Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 00161, Rome, Italy. davide.masi@uniroma1.it.
Maria Elena Spoltore *Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Mariaignazia CurreliDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Denise CostaDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Elena GangitanoDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Stefania MarianiDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Antonio AngeloniDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Lucio GnessiDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Emanuela AnastasiDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Carla LubranoDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 00161, Rome, Italy. carla.lubrano@uniroma1.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8261-1451

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeGiven the established link between GH/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) deficiency and severe COVID-19 outcomes, this research seeks to determine whether GH therapy can enhance vaccine efficacy in patients with adult-onset growth hormone deficiency (aGHD).

methodsWe conducted an observational retrospective study involving two groups: a cohort of 10 patients (8 females, 2 males) with obesity and aGHD who initiated recombinant GH replacement therapy at a standard dose of 0.1 mg/day six months to one year before their first vaccine dose, and a matched control group of 7 patients (5 females, 2 males) with aGHD who had not started GH treatment. Both groups were matched for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) to ensure comparability. Blood samples were collected 3 to 6 months after the third booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2, Pfizer-BioNTech) and analyzed for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using a commercially available assay.

resultsThe GH-treated group exhibited a significantly greater humoral response compared to the untreated group, with a mean antibody titer of 19,122.1 ± 7,736.84 U/mL versus 9,539.14 ± 5,408.90 U/mL in the control group (p = 0.01). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that GH replacement therapy was the only statistically significant predictor of vaccine response, while factors such as male sex, age, and visceral adipose tissue showed negative correlations that did not reach significance.

conclusionOur findings suggest that GH replacement therapy may enhance the immune response to COVID-19 vaccination in patients with aGHD, potentially improving their overall metabolic health and immune function.

Indexed as

COVID-19 VaccinesHormone Replacement TherapyHuman Growth HormoneImmunity, HumoralAdultAntibodies, ViralBNT162 VaccineCOVID-19FemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedObesityRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2VaccinationAntibodies, ViralBNT162 VaccineCOVID-19 VaccinesHuman Growth HormoneCOVID-19 severityGH replacement therapyGrowth hormone deficiency (GHD)Immune functionVaccine response

Identifiers

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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 Socratic graph.