Clinical features, risk of mass enlargement, and development of endocrine hyperfunction in patients with adrenal incidentalomas: a long-term follow-up study. 2021

Pierpaolo Falcetta, and Francesca Orsolini, and Elena Benelli, and Patrizia Agretti, and Paolo Vitti, and Caterina Di Cosmo, and Massimo Tonacchera
Section of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. falcetta.pierpaolo@gmail.com.

To evaluate the risk of mass enlargement and endocrine function modification in patients with adrenal incidentaloma (AI). In this retrospective study, we examined clinical and hormonal characteristics of 310 patients with AI (200 females and 110 males; age: 58.3 ± 12.9 years), followed up for a median (interquartile range) of 31.4 months (13.0-78.6) and evaluated for possible modification in adrenal mass size and hormonal function. The hormonal evaluation included morning serum cortisol and plasma ACTH at 8 a.m., aldosterone, plasma renin activity/direct renin concentration, and 24-h urine metanephrines/normetanephrines. One microgram overnight dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was performed. Autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS) was diagnosed in the presence of cortisol after 1 mg DST > 5 μg/dl (138 nmol/l) or >1.8 and ≤5 μg/dl (50-138 nmol/l) and at least one of the following: (i) low ACTH; (ii) increased 24-h urinary-free cortisol; (iii) absence of cortisol rhythm; and (iv) post-LDDST cortisol level > 1.8 μg/dl (50 nmol/l). When there was no biochemical evidence of adrenal hormonal hyperactivity, AIs were classified as nonfunctioning (NFAIs). The mass was considered significantly enlarged when the size increase was more than 20% and at least 5 mm compared to baseline. At diagnosis, NFAIs were found in 209 patients, while ACS and overt adrenal hyperfunction were diagnosed in 81 and 20 patients, respectively. During follow-up, 3.3% and 1.5% of patients with NFAI developed subtle and overt endocrine hyperfunction, respectively, while a significant mass enlargement was observed in 17.7% of all AIs. The risk of developing ACS was significantly higher in patients with adenoma >28 mm (hazard ratio [HR] 12.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.33-66.52, P = 0.003), in those with bilateral adrenal tumors (HR: 5.36; 95% CI, 1.17-24.48, P = 0.030), and with low/suppressed ACTH values (HR: 11.2, 95% CI 2.06-60.77; P = 0.005). The risk of mass enlargement was lower for patients in the fourth quartile of body mass index than those in the first quartile (HR 0.33; 95% CI, 0.14-0.78; P = 0.012). In patients with AI, the risk of developing hormonal hyperfunction and mass enlargement is overall low, although some tumor characteristics and anthropometric features might increase this risk. Taking account of all these aspects is important for planning a tailored follow-up in AI patients.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D005260 Female Females
D005500 Follow-Up Studies Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006854 Hydrocortisone The main glucocorticoid secreted by the ADRENAL CORTEX. Its synthetic counterpart is used, either as an injection or topically, in the treatment of inflammation, allergy, collagen diseases, asthma, adrenocortical deficiency, shock, and some neoplastic conditions. Cortef,Cortisol,Pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione, 11,17,21-trihydroxy-, (11beta)-,11-Epicortisol,Cortifair,Cortril,Epicortisol,Hydrocortisone, (11 alpha)-Isomer,Hydrocortisone, (9 beta,10 alpha,11 alpha)-Isomer,11 Epicortisol
D000310 Adrenal Gland Neoplasms Tumors or cancer of the ADRENAL GLANDS. Adrenal Cancer,Adrenal Gland Cancer,Adrenal Neoplasm,Cancer of the Adrenal Gland,Neoplasms, Adrenal Gland,Adrenal Cancers,Adrenal Gland Cancers,Adrenal Gland Neoplasm,Adrenal Neoplasms,Cancer, Adrenal,Cancer, Adrenal Gland,Cancers, Adrenal,Cancers, Adrenal Gland,Neoplasm, Adrenal,Neoplasm, Adrenal Gland,Neoplasms, Adrenal
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective

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