The association between adrenal adenoma size, autonomous cortisol secretion and metabolic derangements

Abstract Adrenal incidentalomas are common with a prevalence of 3-10% and in up to 30% of cases may have probable autonomous cortisol secretion. Hypercortisolism is associated with substantial cardiometabolic morbimortality and can physiologically decrease ACTH levels. Objective: To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of ACTH levels in evaluating autonomous cortisol secretion in a prospective cohort of incidentally discovered adrenal adenomas. Methods: We prospectively evaluated 224 consecutive adult subjects with incidentally discovered adrenal masses on computed tomography. Finally, 168 participants with radiographic adenoma criteria underwent systematic hormonal assessment, including measurements of morning cortisol and ACTH on day 1, and a 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST) on day 2. Hypercortisolism was excluded if the DST was < 1.8 mcg/dL. Autonomous cortisol secretion was defined as a DST > 5.0 mcg/dL and DST levels of 1.8-5.0 mcg/dL were considered to be possibly autonomous hypercortisolism. We evaluated the correlation of ACTH levels with clinical, radiographic, and endocrine variables. In order to identify the most sensitive threshold value for diagnosing autonomous cortisol secretion, we determined ROC curves and negative likelihood ratio (NLR). Concordance of repeated ACTH was assessed using Bland Altman analysis. Results: The characteristics of the cohort were mean age 56 (+/- 11.8) years, 76% female, adenoma size 19 (+/- 7) mm, and 13% bilateral adenomas. Mean ACTH was 15 (+/- 11) pg/ml (range 5-72) and the mean DST was 2.2 (+/- 3.0) ug/dL (range 0.4-25.9). Fifty-four (32%) participants had a DST ≥1.8mcg/dL and 13 (8%) a DST≥5.0 mcg/dL. We found no correlation between ACTH levels and age, gender or body mass index. ACTH was inversely associated with adrenal adenoma diameter (r=-3.3 p=0.002) and volume (r=-2.9 p=0.008). There was an inverse association between ACTH and DST values (r=-3.1 p=0.01). In the subgroup of patients with a second ACTH measurement we found high concordance, with mean difference of 0.16+/-3.6 pg/ml (p=0.83). ROC analysis showed that an ACTH ≥20 pg/ml had a sensitivity of 98% to exclude hypercortisolism, with a negative predictive value of 97% and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.06. The only case with DST≥1.8 and ACTH≥20 had Cushing′s phenotype with both an adrenal adenoma and a pituitary ACTH-producing adenoma. Systematic evaluation of morning cortisol and ACTH allowed the detection of 5 cases of false negative low DST values due to the use of non-oral corticosteroids. Conclusion: In this cohort, an ACTH ≥20pg/ml excluded autonomous cortisol secretion with excellent sensitivity and negative predictive value, providing strong reassurance that there is no clinically relevant hypercortisolism. Therefore, subjects with a normal DST and ACTH ≥20pg/ml should be candidates for relaxed surveillance.

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MON-163 A Phase 3, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of a Selective Glucocorticoid Receptor Modulator, Relacorilant, in Patients with Autonomous Cortisol Secretion Due to Cortisol-Secreting Adrenal Adenoma(s)/Hyperplasia

Journal of the Endocrine Society ◽

10.1210/jendso/bvaa046.1409 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Richard Joseph Auchus ◽

Andreas Grauer ◽

Andreas Moraitis

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Glucocorticoid Receptor ◽

Adrenal Adenoma ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Cortisol Secretion ◽

Efficacy And Safety ◽

Phase 3 ◽

Double Blind ◽

Autonomous Cortisol Secretion

Abstract Relacorilant is a highly selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist that modulates the effects of excess cortisol without interacting with the mineralocorticoid or progesterone receptor. A Phase 2 relacorilant study in patients with endogenous Cushing syndrome (CS) demonstrated improvements in glycemic control and hypertension with no instances of drug-related hypokalemia or antiprogesterone effects. An international, multicenter, Phase 3 clinical trial of relacorilant is currently underway to evaluate the efficacy and safety of relacorilant in CS of various etiologies with evidence of hypercortisolism documented through two independent biochemical tests and at least two clinical signs and symptoms of CS. It uses a randomized-withdrawal design after 22-weeks (22wk) of open-label treatment with relacorilant (GRACE Study: NCT03697109). Here we introduce a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study in patients with less severe CS secondary to adrenal adenoma(s) or hyperplasia. Approximately 130 eligible patients 18-80 years old with a radiologically confirmed adrenal lesion, a biochemical diagnosis of autonomous cortisol secretion and either impaired glucose tolerance/diabetes mellitus (IGT/DM) or hypertension will receive relacorilant (100 mg/day, titrated to 400 mg/day, as tolerated) or placebo over 22WK. Biochemical criteria for entry into the study include a serum cortisol >1.8 µg/dL after dexamethasone suppression testing (DST) and low (<10 pg/dL) or suppressed morning ACTH levels. Patients must be stable on their antidiabetic and/or antihypertensive agents for at least 4 weeks prior to the first dose of relacorilant. The primary efficacy endpoints are the between-treatment difference in change from Baseline to 22wk in AUCglucose for the IGT/DM group and mean systolic blood pressure (based on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring) for the hypertension group. Secondary endpoints include changes in weight, waist circumference, quality of life and coagulation markers. The safety analysis will be performed for all patients who received at least one dose of study drug. This will be the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to test if patients with adrenal autonomous hypercortisolism benefit from medical treatment.

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SAT-LB37 Frailty in Patients With Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion Is Higher Than Patients With Nonfunctioning Adrenal Tumors

Journal of the Endocrine Society ◽

10.1210/jendso/bvaa046.2291 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

sumitabh singh ◽

Elizabeth Atkinson ◽

Sara Achenbach ◽

Irina Bancos

Keyword(s):

Adrenal Adenoma ◽

Frailty Index ◽

Adrenal Tumors ◽

Cortisol Secretion ◽

Sleep Difficulty ◽

Deficit Model ◽

Adrenal Hormone ◽

Tertiary Center ◽

Autonomous Cortisol Secretion ◽

Missing Variables

Abstract Background: Mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) affects up to 50% of patients with adrenal adenomas. Frailty is a syndrome characterized by diminished strength and endurance and serves as a marker of declining health and dependency. We hypothesized that patients with MACS are more frail when compared to patients with nonfunctioning adrenal tumors (NFAT). Methods: This is a retrospective study of adult patients with adrenal adenoma evaluated at a tertiary center from 2004 to 2018. MACS and NFAT were defined as cortisol after 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression (DST) between 1.8-5 mcg/dl and <1.8 mcg/dl, respectively. Frailty index (FI, range 0-1) was calculated using a 47 variables -deficit model (20 comorbidities, 14 activities of daily living, and 13 symptoms). Patients were excluded if treated with exogenous glucocorticoids, if diagnosed with overt adrenal hormone excess, another adrenal disorder, or if missing variables of interest. Results: MACS was diagnosed in 168 patients (67% women) at a median age 65 (30-91) years and NFAT in 275 patients (61% women) at a median age of 59 (21-84) years. Patients with MACS demonstrated higher prevalence of hypertension (73% vs 62%), cardiac arrhythmias (50% vs 40%), and chronic kidney disease (25% vs 17%), but lower prevalence of asthma (5% vs 14%), when compared to patients with NFAT, p<0.05 for all. Patients with MACS reported more symptoms of weakness (21% vs 11%), falls (7% vs 2%), and sleep difficulty (26% vs 15%) as compared to patients with NFAT, p<0.05 for all. Age, sex and BMI-adjusted FI was higher in patients with MACS vs patients with NFAT (0.17 vs 0.15, p=0.009). Using cut-off FI of 0.2, 42% of patients with MACS were frail, versus 30% of patients with NFAT (p=0.01). Conclusion: Higher frailty in patients with MACS supports a more aggressive management, such as adrenalectomy over conservative follow up. Future prospective studies are needed to characterize frailty in greater detail in patients with MACS, as well as to examine frailty reversal by adrenalectomy.

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Diagnostic Accuracy of Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate and Corticotropin in Autonomous Cortisol Secretion

Biomedicines ◽

10.3390/biomedicines9070741 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 741

Author(s):

Lindsay E. Carafone ◽

Catherine D. Zhang ◽

Dingfeng Li ◽

Natalia Lazik ◽

Oksana Hamidi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diagnostic Accuracy ◽

Adrenal Adenoma ◽

Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate ◽

Adrenal Tumors ◽

Cortisol Secretion ◽

Serum Concentrations ◽

Single Center Study ◽

Acth Concentration ◽

Autonomous Cortisol Secretion ◽

Additional Value

Autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS) affects up to 50% of patients with adrenal adenomas. Despite the limited evidence, clinical guidelines recommend measurement of serum concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) and corticotropin (ACTH) to aid in the diagnosis of ACS. Our objective was to determine the accuracy of serum concentrations of DHEA-S and ACTH in diagnosing ACS. We conducted a retrospective single center study of adults with adrenal adenoma evaluated between 2000−2020. Main outcome measure was diagnostic accuracy of DHEA-S and ACTH. ACS was defined as post-dexamethasone cortisol >1.8 mcg/dL. Of 468 patients, ACS was diagnosed in 256 (55%) patients with a median post-DST cortisol of 3.45 mcg/dL (range, 1.9–32.7). Patients with ACS demonstrated lower serum concentrations of DHEA-S (35 vs. 87.3 mcg/dL, p < 0.0001) and ACTH (8.3 vs. 16 pg/mL, p < 0.0001) compared to patients with non-functioning adrenal tumors (NFAT). Serum DHEA-S concentration <40 mcg/dL diagnosed ACS with 84% specificity and 81% PPV, while serum ACTH concentration <10 pg/mL diagnosed ACS with 75% specificity and 78% PPV. The combination of serum concentrations of DHEA-S <40 mcg/dL and ACTH <10 pg/mL diagnosed ACS with the highest accuracy with 92% specificity and 87% PPV. Serum concentrations of DHEA-S and ACTH provide additional value in diagnosing ACS.

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Frailty in Patients With Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion is Higher Than in Patients with Nonfunctioning Adrenal Tumors

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism ◽

10.1210/clinem/dgaa410 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 105 (9) ◽

pp. e3307-e3315

Author(s):

Sumitabh Singh ◽

Elizabeth J Atkinson ◽

Sara J Achenbach ◽

Nathan LeBrasseur ◽

Irina Bancos

Keyword(s):

Outcome Measure ◽

Adrenal Adenoma ◽

Frailty Index ◽

Adrenal Tumors ◽

Cortisol Secretion ◽

Comorbid Conditions ◽

Sleep Difficulty ◽

Deficit Model ◽

Autonomous Cortisol Secretion ◽

Dexamethasone Suppression

Abstract Context Mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) affects up to 50% of patients with adrenal adenomas. Frailty is a syndrome characterized by the loss of physiological reserves and an increase in vulnerability, and it serves as a marker of declining health. Objective To compare frailty in patients with MACS versus patients with nonfunctioning adrenal tumors (NFAT). Design Retrospective study, 2003-2018 Setting Referral center Patients Patients >20 years of age with adrenal adenoma and MACS (1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression (DST) of 1.9-5 µg/dL) and NFAT (DST <1.9 µg/dL). Main outcome measure Frailty index (range 0-1), calculated using a 47-variable deficit model. Results Patients with MACS (n = 168) demonstrated a higher age-, sex-, and body mass index–adjusted prevalence of hypertension (71% vs 60%), cardiac arrhythmias (50% vs 40%), and chronic kidney disease (25% vs 17%), but a lower prevalence of asthma (5% vs 14%) than patients with NFAT (n = 275). Patients with MACS reported more symptoms of weakness (21% vs 11%), falls (7% vs 2%), and sleep difficulty (26% vs 15%) as compared with NFAT. Age-, sex- and BMI-adjusted frailty index was higher in patients with MACS vs patients with NFAT (0.17 vs 0.15; P = 0.009). Using a frailty index cutoff of 0.25, 24% of patients with MACS were frail, versus 18% of patients with NFAT (P = 0.028). Conclusion Patients with MACS exhibit a greater burden of comorbid conditions, adverse symptoms, and frailty than patients with NFAT. Future prospective studies are needed to further characterize frailty, examine its responsiveness to adrenalectomy, and assess its influence on health outcomes in patients with MACS.

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Enhanced performance of a modified diagnostic test of primary aldosteronism in patients with adrenal adenomas

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/eje-21-0625 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Athina Markou ◽

Gregory A Kaltsas ◽

Labrini Papanastasiou ◽

Chris Gravvanis ◽

Nick Voulgaris ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary Aldosteronism ◽

Adrenal Adenoma ◽

Plasma Renin ◽

Serum Cortisol ◽

Cortisol Secretion ◽

Normal Limits ◽

Adrenal Imaging ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Autonomous Cortisol Secretion ◽

Aldosterone To Renin Ratio

Objective: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the commonest cause of endocrine hypertension ranging from 4.6%-16.6% according to the diagnostic tests employed. The aim of this study was to compare the traditional saline infusion test (SIT) with the modified post-dexamethasone SIT (DSIT) by applying both tests on the same subjects. Methods: We studied 68 patients (72% hypertensives) with single adrenal adenoma and 55 normotensive controls, with normal adrenal imaging. Serum cortisol, aldosterone and plasma renin concentration (PRC) were measured and the aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) was calculated. Using the mean+2SD values from the controls, we defined the upper normal limits (UNL) for cortisol, aldosterone and PRC for both the SIT and DSIT. Results: In the controls, the post-DSIT aldosterone levels and the ARR were approximately 2-fold and 3-fold lower respectively than the corresponding post-SIT values (all p=0.001) leading to lower cut-offs of aldosterone suppression. Applying these cut-offs to patients with adrenal adenomas, the prevalence of PA was 13.2% following the SIT and 29.4% following the DSIT, respectively. In addition, 54.5% of patients with PA had concomitant autonomous cortisol secretion. Targeted treatment of PA resulted in resolution of hypertension and restoration of normal secretory aldosterone dynamics. Conclusions: The DSIT improves the diagnostic accuracy of PA, allowing for the detection of milder forms of PA in patients with adrenal adenomas. This is of particular importance as such patients may be at an increased risk for developing cardiovascular and renal morbidity that could be enhanced in the presence of concomitant autonomous cortisol secretion.

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Autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS) in other overt functioning adrenal adenoma: two case reports

Endocrine Abstracts ◽

10.1530/endoabs.77.p147 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Dongling Zheng ◽

Ye Kyaw ◽

Koteshwara Muralidhara

Keyword(s):

Case Reports ◽

Adrenal Adenoma ◽

Cortisol Secretion ◽

Autonomous Cortisol Secretion

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Incident Cardiometabolic Outcomes in Adrenal Adenomas: A Population-Based Cohort Study of 1,004 Patients

Journal of the Endocrine Society ◽

10.1210/jendso/bvab048.174 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. A87-A87

Author(s):

Catherine D Zhang ◽

Elizabeth J Atkinson ◽

Sara J Achenbach ◽

Andreas Ladefoged Ebbehøj ◽

Dingfeng Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Adrenal Adenoma ◽

Serum Cortisol ◽

Coronary Intervention ◽

Population Based ◽

Medical Community ◽

Cortisol Secretion ◽

Age Of Diagnosis ◽

Suppression Test ◽

Autonomous Cortisol Secretion

Abstract Background: Adrenal adenomas have been linked with cardiovascular morbidity in selected patient populations from specialized referral centers. Population-based data examining the association of adrenal adenomas with cardiometabolic outcomes are lacking. Aim: To determine the incidence of cardiometabolic outcomes in a population-based cohort of patients with adrenal adenomas. Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study of patients diagnosed with adrenal adenomas while living in a defined community from 1995–2017. Eligible patients were retrospectively identified by a medical records linkage system and confirmed on chart review. Adenomas were classified as mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) if the serum cortisol concentration was >1.8 mcg/dL after 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test (DST), nonfunctioning adrenal tumor (NFAT) if serum cortisol after DST was ≤1.8 mcg/dL, and adenoma with unknown cortisol secretion (AUCS) if DST was not performed. Patients with overt hormone excess were excluded. Cardiometabolic outcomes were assessed at the time of adrenal adenoma diagnosis. Patients were then followed until death, migration out of the community, or through December 31, 2017. Incident outcomes were assessed starting at 1 year following the diagnosis and excluded those with the outcome of interest at baseline, except for myocardial infarction (MI) and coronary intervention, which were adjusted for in the analysis. Results: were compared to 1:1 age and sex-matched referent subjects without adrenal adenomas from the same community. Results: Adrenal adenomas were diagnosed in 1004 patients with 141 (14%) NFAT, 81 (8%) MACS, and 782 (78%) AUCS. The median age of diagnosis was 63 years (range, 20–96), and 582 (58%) were women. The baseline data was previously presented and showed higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and heart failure (HF) in the adenoma group, after adjusting for BMI and tobacco use. During a median follow-up of 6.8 years (range, 0–22), patients with adrenal adenomas were more likely than referent subjects to develop new-onset dyslipidemia (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.03–1.67), diabetes (HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.28–2.22), chronic kidney disease (HR 1.77, 95% CI 1.39–2.25), atrial fibrillation (HR 1.32 (1.03–1.70), PVD (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.24–2.09), and HF (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.15–1.85). In addition, the adenoma group had higher risk for incident MI (HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.16–2.25) and coronary intervention (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.25–2.31). Conclusions: Adrenal adenomas are associated with increased incidence of adverse cardiometabolic outcomes in this population-based cohort study. While these results are potentially explained by different degrees of cortisol excess, the majority of patients received suboptimal hormone evaluation, suggesting a knowledge gap in the workup of adrenal adenomas in the broader medical community.

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