A Phase 4 interventional study of Experimental: GLP1-RA (exenatide) administration and Control: Placebo administration in Hypopituitarism, Central Diabetes Insipidus and Panhypopituitarism, sponsored by Fundació Institut de Recerca de l'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Completed at 1 site in Spain. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-01-20.
Sponsored by Fundació Institut de Recerca de l'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau · Phase 4, Interventional, and Diagnostic
Oxytocin (OT) is a hypothalamic peptide that enters the peripheral circulation via the posterior pituitary gland. OT plays a key role in regulating appetite, psychopathology, prosocial behavior and sexual function. Hypopituitarism is associated with increased obesity, increased psychopathology, sexual and prosocial dysfunction despite appropriate hormone replacement. A few studies suggest the existence of a possible OT deficient state in hypopituitarism. In animal models, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) has shown to increase OT release.
This study is designed to evaluate OT values after administration of GLP1 in adults (healthy volunteers and patients with hypopituitarism).
The investigators hypothesize that OT response will be blunted following GLP1 receptor agonist (GLP1-RA) in patients with hypopituitarism compared to healthy controls.
This research is focused on two groups of participants: healthy controls (HC) and hypopituitary patients (HYPO) with at least one symptom of hypothalamic damage, presumably at highest risk for OT deficiency.
The aim is to improve knowledge on the physiology and patho-physiology of endogenous OT secretion in hypopituitary patients compared to healthy controls using a randomized, single-blind, crossover assignment (GLP1-RA vs placebo), placebo-control design.
Clinical implications of secretory OT dynamics and release under different stimuli using validated questionnaires to evaluate psychopathology, socio-emotional functioning, disordered eating behavior, impaired quality of life and sexual dysfunction, will be also evaluated.
47 studies on the registry are indexed under Hypopituitarism; 8 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 42 is above the median of 38 across 29 interventional studies indexed under Hypopituitarism.
Browse Hypopituitarism studies →Fundació Institut de Recerca de l'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau is the lead sponsor of 343 studies on the registry; 65 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.
It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
ALT and AST (liver enzymes)
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ULN (upper limit of normal)
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Investigational drug or device
A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.
It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
A single dose of 10 mcg of GLP1-RA (exenatide) will be injected subcutaneously and samples will be collected over 2 hours (15 (T15), 30 (T30), 45 (T45), 60 (T60'), 90 (T90) and 120 (T120) minutes) after GLP1-RA:placebo administration to assess OT secretory patterns
Drug: Experimental: GLP1-RA (exenatide) administration
Sodium Chloride 0.9% will be administered subcutaneously at equivalent volume than GLP1-RA (exenatide) administration
Drug: Control: Placebo administration
a single dose of 10 mcg of GLP-RA (exenatide) will be administered subcutaneously and samples to assess OT secretory patterns will be collected over 2 hours
Also known as: exenatide administration
Sodium Chloride 0.9% will be administered subcutaneously at equivalent volume than 10 mcg of exenatide
Also known as: placebo administration (sodium chloride)
Change in oxytocin concentration (pg/mL)
Change in oxytocin concentration (pg/mL) after administration of 10 µg of GLP1-RA (exenatide) or 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl)
Time frame: Baseline blood exam (timepoint 0) and further blood collections after 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after baseline blood collection
Maximal change in oxytocin concentration (pg/mL)
Change in oxytocin concentration (pg/mL) after administration of 10 µg of GLP1-RA (exenatide) or 0.9% NaCl
Time frame: Within the two hours after the injection
Overall oxytocin secretion (pg/mL)
Oxytocin area under the curve after administration of 10 µg of GLP1-RA (exenatide) or 0.9% NaCl
Time frame: Within the two hours after the injection
Change in glucose concentration (mg/dL)
Change in glucose concentration (mg/dL) after administration of 10 µg of GLP1-RA (exenatide) or 0.9% NaCl
Time frame: Baseline blood exam (timepoint 0) and further blood collections after 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after baseline blood collection
Change in insulin concentration (pmol/L)
Change in insulin concentration (pmol/L) after administration of 10 µg of GLP1-RA (exenatide) or 0.9% NaCl
Time frame: Baseline blood exam (timepoint 0) and further blood collections after 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after baseline blood collection
Mood assessment
Association between Beck Depression Inventory-2 score (range from 0 to 63, higher scores mean a worse outcome) and baseline oxytocin concentration (pg/mL)
Time frame: Baseline
Quality of life assessment
Association between 36-item Short Form Health Survey score (range from 0 to 100, the higher scores indicate better health status) and baseline oxytocin concentration (pg/mL)
Time frame: Baseline
Impulsivity assessment
Association between Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (range from 30 to 120, higher scores indicate greater impulsivity) and baseline oxytocin concentration (pg/mL)
Time frame: Baseline
Alexithymia assessment
Association between Toronto Alexithymia scales-20 score (range from 20 to 100, higher scores mean a worse outcome) and baseline oxytocin concentration (pg/mL)
Time frame: Baseline
Ran from Sep 2021 to primary completion in Apr 2024, 31 months.
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This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Studies of the drug tested here: Exenatide
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