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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
1995-9-28
pubmed:abstractText
Since 1989, 45 patients 26 females and 19 males, aged 19-79 years (median 58) bearing incidentally discovered adrenal masses were studied. Endocrine work-up included determination of urinary catecholamines and their metabolites, measurement of plasma renin activity and aldosterone levels in clino- and orthostatic posture, basal and dynamic (dexamethasone-suppression, o-CRH stimulation) evaluation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The most frequent finding was the reduction of DHEA-S levels below the 3rd percentile of controls in 19 (42%) patients. As a whole group, DHEA-S levels were significantly lower in patients than in controls: 68 (5-1000) micrograms/dL vs 208 (34-326) micrograms/dL; p < 0.001. Three patients (7%) had high 24-h mean serum cortisol levels and 6 (14%) had blunted day-night amplitude of cortisol rhythm. Defective dexamethasone suppressibility was found in 15% of patients vs 8% of controls (p < 0.05). ACTH and cortisol responses after o-CRH did not significantly differ between patients and controls although blunted ACTH responses were found in 22% of cases. The above mentioned endocrine alterations could be accounted for by autonomous cortisol secretion by the adrenal nodule at a rate not sufficient to give clinical expression but able to inhibit to some extent the HPA axis. These results indicate that silent cortisol hypersecretion is frequently observed in patients with adrenal incidentaloma even if progression to overt Cushing's syndrome seems unlikely, at least in a short-term follow-up. From a mere cost-benefit ratio, the evaluation of DHEA-S levels and dex-suppression has sufficient sensitivity to identify the occurrence of silent hypercortisolism.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Mar
pubmed:issn
0391-1977
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
20
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
69-78
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Adenoma, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Adrenal Gland Neoplasms, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Adult, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Aged, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Algorithms, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Carcinoma, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Case-Control Studies, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Catecholamines, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Dehydroepiandrosterone, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Dexamethasone, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Diagnostic Imaging, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Female, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Humans, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Hydrocortisone, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Hypertension, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Lung Neoplasms, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Male, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Middle Aged, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Pheochromocytoma, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Pituitary-Adrenal System, pubmed-meshheading:7651285-Retrospective Studies
pubmed:year
1995
pubmed:articleTitle
Adrenal incidentaloma, a five year experience.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin S. Luigi Hospital, Italy.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Review