Clinical,Biochemical,and Radiological Retrospective Analysis in Patients with Adrenal Incidentaloma-A Secondary Publication

Objective:To evaluate the epidemiological,demographic,clinical features,treatment approaches,and survival of patients followed up for adrenal incidentaloma.Methods:Data from 46 patients who were treated and followed up due to adrenal incidentaloma in the Endocrinology Department of Mersin University Health Research and Application Hospital between 2010 and 2014 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Of the cases included in the study,13 were male,33 were female,and the mean age was 54.09±10.7 years.The most common reason for admission was abdominal pain in 34.78%of the patients,the most commonly diagnosed radiological method was dynamic adrenal CT in 60.87%,and the most common location was the left adrenal gland.The mean lesion diameter was between 26.8±16.5 mm.The frequency of hypertension was 50%,obesity 47.8%,type 2 diabetes 21.7%,osteoporosis 42.8%,and metabolic syndrome 41.3%.According to hormonal evaluation results,non-functional adrenal adenoma(NFAA)was found in 82.61%,subclinical Cushing’s syndrome(SCS)in 15.21%,and aldosteronoma in 2.1%.Myelolipoma,pheochromocytoma,and adrenocortical adenoma were diagnosed in 8 cases undergoing adrenalectomy.One patient died due to liver failure.No hormonal activation or growth in lesion size was detected during the follow-up of the patients.Conclusion:Due to the very different pathological and radiological appearances of adrenal incidentaloma,it is important to evaluate demographic,etiological,clinical,laboratory,and radiological data as a whole in the treatment and follow-up.

Adrenal myelolipoma within myxoid cortical adenoma associated with Conn's syndrome

The coexistence of myelolipoma within adrenal cortical adenoma is extremely rare,for both tumors present usually as separate entities.There are only 16 such cases reported worldwide.To the best of our knowledge,the case we reported here is the first one of myxoid adrenal cortical adenoma associated with myelolipoma reported.A 32-year-old Chinese woman with 4-year history of hypertension was presented in our study.Computed tomography(CT)of the abdomen showed a large heterogene- ously-enhancing mass(4.5 cm in diameter)in the left suprarenal region.Clinical history and laboratory results suggest a metabolic disorder as Conn's syndrome.The patient underwent a left adrenalectomy,and a histopathological study confirmed the mass to be a myxoid adrenal cortical adenoma containing myelolipoma.The patient was postoperatively well and discharged uneventfully.In the present case report,we also discuss the etiology of simultaneous myelolipoma and adrenal adenoma associated with Conn's syndrome,and the methods of the diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

Myxoid adrenal cortical adenoma—the first case reported in China

Myxoid adrenal cortical adenoma is a rare tumor and till now only 9 cases have been presented in the world. We here report another case of myxoid adenoma of the adrenal gland in a 45-year-old Chinese man who was admitted to hospital because of the right adrenal mass and mild hypertension. At surgery, the mass was well-circumscribed, measured 3.3 cm in diameter. Light-microscopic findings showed most of the tumor region with myxoid stroma, and the tumor cells were benign-look- ing. Immunohistochemical study showed the tumor had the positivity for vimentin, synaptophysin, neuron specific endolase but negative with cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen. Moreover, it was negative with alpha-inhibin that is not in accordance with those reported. There was no finding corresponding to malignancy.

Generalized glucocorticoid resistance accompanied with an adrenocortical adenoma and caused by a novel point mutation of human glucocorticoid receptor gene

Background Generalized glucocorticoid resistance syndrome is a rare familial or sporadic condition characterized by generalized, partial, target-tissue insensitivity to glucocorticoids. This syndrome is partially caused by mutations in human glucocorticoid receptor （hGR） gene. The clinical spectrum of generalized glucocorticoid resistance is broad, ranging from fatigue or no symptoms to severe hypertension with hypokalemic alkalosis. The purpose of this study was to explore the genetic disorder of glucocorticoid resistance syndrome.Methods We identified a 56-year-old male patient diagnosed with generalized glucocorticoid resistance syndrome accompanied with an adrenocortical adenoma. This asymptomatic patient referred to Peking Union Medical College Hospital for treatment of his adrenal incidentaloma. Endocrinological evaluation consistently revealed his elevated serum cortisol level. Total RNA was extracted from the patient＇s peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes （PBMLs） and entire coding region of hGR alpha was amplified by reverse transcription （RT）-PCR. To confirm the possible mutation identified by sequencing RT-PCR products, genomic DNA sequence of hGR gene from the patient and 50 healthy controls was analyzed by PCR and directly sequencing.Results A heterozygotic （C→T） substitution at nucleotide position of 1667 （exon 5） in GR alpha gene was found in this patient by sequencing of RT-PCR products of hGR gene. This substitution was also identified at genomic DNA level and it was absent in 100 chromosomes from 50 unrelated health controls. This substitution resulted in a threonine to isoleucine substitution （ACT→ATT） at amino acid 556 in the ligand-binding domain of GR alpha. Conclusion Generalized glucocorticoid resistance in this patient might be caused by a novel heterozygotic mutation in the ligand-binding domain of the GR alpha.