Silent growth hormone pituitary adenomas: a single-center study
Authors' conclusion
SGH-PAs represent approximately 3% of nonfunctioning PAs undergoing surgery. Multiple anterior pituitary hormones are commonly co-expressed. These tumors may be more proliferative, but the baseline aggressiveness in radiology and short-term recurrence rates are similar.
Study context
- Population
- Surgically treated non-functioning PAs at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (2019–2023)1,387 non-functioning PAs screened
- Participants
- 45 / 407 / 90
- Exposure
- Silent growth hormone pituitary adenomas (SGH-PAs) vs non-functioning gonadotropin pituitary adenomas (NFG-PAs) and age and gender-matched acromegaly controls
- SGH-PAsn = 45
- NFG-PAsn = 407reference
- Acromegalyn = 90reference
- Outcome
- Prevalence of SGH-PAs among surgically treated non-functioning PAs
Methodological detailssingle-center
- Single-center
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
SGH-PAs
3.2%
45
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | P value |
|---|---|
| Ki-67 proliferationSGH-PAs vs Acromegaly · median Ki-67 3% vs. 2% | P = 0.002 |
| Ki-67 proliferationSGH-PAs vs NFG-PAs · median Ki-67 3% vs. 2% | P = 0.011 |
| Baseline metabolic comorbiditiesSGH-PAs vs NFG-PAs · dyslipidemia 17.8% vs. 33.4%, reduced with SGH-PAs | P = 0.049 |
- Baseline metabolic comorbidities — Hypertension, paralleling NFG-PA profiles
- 22%
- Baseline metabolic comorbidities — Diabetes, paralleling NFG-PA profiles
- 8.9%
Pathological subtypes of SGH-PAs
- Acidophil stem cell adenomas
- 18 (40%)
- Immature PIT1-lineage tumors
- 11(24%)
- Sparsely granulated GH tumors
- 5
- Mammosomatotroph tumors
- 5
- Mature plurihormonal PIT1 lineage tumors
- 4
- Plurihormonal pituitary tumors
- 2
Tumor invasiveness (Knosp 3-4) · baseline or 2-year recurrence
- No outstanding increase in invasiveness; Knosp 3-4 across groups
- 20-30%
Transformation into acromegaly · 77 person-years of follow-up
- SGH-PAs transforming into acromegaly
- 0
Original publication
Silent growth hormone pituitary adenomas: a single-center study. Pituitary. Published 11 September 2025. doi:10.
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