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Suppressed ACTH Is Frequently Unrelated to Autonomous Cortisol Secretion in Patients With Adrenal Incidentalomas

Olsen, Henrik LU orcid ; Kjellbom, Albin LU orcid ; Löndahl, Magnus LU and Lindgren, Ola LU (2019) In The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 104(2). p.506-512
Abstract

Objective: ACTH is considered a weak marker for autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS) in patients with adrenal incidentalomas (AIs). Our aim was to investigate suppressed basal ACTH as a marker of ACS and to elucidate why this criterion is of limited value. Methods: Basal ACTH and cortisol after overnight dexamethasone suppression test (cortisolONDST) were measured in 198 patients with unilateral AI and at 2-year follow-up. Basal ACTH was measured in 100 control subjects. Results: In patients with cortisolONDST <50 nmol/L (n = 145), ACTH was <2 pmol/L in 19%, compared with 4% in control subjects (P < 0.001). ACTH and size of AI correlated negatively (P = 0.002). Among patients with cortisolONDST ≥50 nmol/L, ACTH was <2 pmol/L... (More)

Objective: ACTH is considered a weak marker for autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS) in patients with adrenal incidentalomas (AIs). Our aim was to investigate suppressed basal ACTH as a marker of ACS and to elucidate why this criterion is of limited value. Methods: Basal ACTH and cortisol after overnight dexamethasone suppression test (cortisolONDST) were measured in 198 patients with unilateral AI and at 2-year follow-up. Basal ACTH was measured in 100 control subjects. Results: In patients with cortisolONDST <50 nmol/L (n = 145), ACTH was <2 pmol/L in 19%, compared with 4% in control subjects (P < 0.001). ACTH and size of AI correlated negatively (P = 0.002). Among patients with cortisolONDST ≥50 nmol/L, ACTH was <2 pmol/L in 53%. The patients were grouped according to whether cortisolONDST was <50 or ≥50 nmol/L and whether ACTH was <2.0 or ≥2.0 or pmol/L. At follow-up, these four groups were still separated with statistically significant differences in ACTH and cortisolONDST. Conclusions: This study identifies a previously unrecognized group of patients defined by suppressed ACTH despite normal cortisolONDST. This suppression of ACTH by a factor other than ACS may explain the limitation of suppressed ACTH as a marker for ACS. We suggest increased cortisol secretion in response to ACTH by the AI to be an additional factor.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
volume
104
issue
2
pages
7 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85059500345
  • pmid:30265354
ISSN
1945-7197
DOI
10.1210/jc.2018-01029
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4c60f9c7-6912-44e9-a858-dc22eac02ce2
date added to LUP
2019-01-17 12:58:58
date last changed
2024-02-14 15:24:19
@article{4c60f9c7-6912-44e9-a858-dc22eac02ce2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objective: ACTH is considered a weak marker for autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS) in patients with adrenal incidentalomas (AIs). Our aim was to investigate suppressed basal ACTH as a marker of ACS and to elucidate why this criterion is of limited value. Methods: Basal ACTH and cortisol after overnight dexamethasone suppression test (cortisolONDST) were measured in 198 patients with unilateral AI and at 2-year follow-up. Basal ACTH was measured in 100 control subjects. Results: In patients with cortisolONDST &lt;50 nmol/L (n = 145), ACTH was &lt;2 pmol/L in 19%, compared with 4% in control subjects (P &lt; 0.001). ACTH and size of AI correlated negatively (P = 0.002). Among patients with cortisolONDST ≥50 nmol/L, ACTH was &lt;2 pmol/L in 53%. The patients were grouped according to whether cortisolONDST was &lt;50 or ≥50 nmol/L and whether ACTH was &lt;2.0 or ≥2.0 or pmol/L. At follow-up, these four groups were still separated with statistically significant differences in ACTH and cortisolONDST. Conclusions: This study identifies a previously unrecognized group of patients defined by suppressed ACTH despite normal cortisolONDST. This suppression of ACTH by a factor other than ACS may explain the limitation of suppressed ACTH as a marker for ACS. We suggest increased cortisol secretion in response to ACTH by the AI to be an additional factor.</p>}},
  author       = {{Olsen, Henrik and Kjellbom, Albin and Löndahl, Magnus and Lindgren, Ola}},
  issn         = {{1945-7197}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{506--512}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism}},
  title        = {{Suppressed ACTH Is Frequently Unrelated to Autonomous Cortisol Secretion in Patients With Adrenal Incidentalomas}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/jc.2018-01029}},
  doi          = {{10.1210/jc.2018-01029}},
  volume       = {{104}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}