OBJECTIVE—The presence of an enhanced cortisol secretion in patients with type 2 diabetes is debated. In type 2 diabetic subjects, cortisol secretion was found to be associated with the complications and metabolic control of diabetes. We evaluated cortisol secretion in 170 type 2 diabetic subjects and in 71 sex-, age-, and BMI-matched nondiabetic subjects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—In all subjects, we evaluated ACTH at 8:00 a.m. in basal conditions and serum cortisol levels at 12:00 p.m. (F24) and at 9:00 a.m. after a 1-mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test and 24-h urinary free cortisol (UFC). In diabetic patients, we evaluated the presence of chronic complications (incipient nephropathy, asymptomatic neuropathy, background retinopathy, and silent macroangiopathy). Patients were subdivided according to the absence (group 1, n = 53) or presence (group 2, n = 117) of diabetes complications. RESULTS—In group 2, UFC (125.2 ± 4.6 nmol/24 h) and F24 (120.6 ± 4.1 nmol/l) were higher than in group 1 (109.2 ± 6.8 nmol/24 h, P = 0.057, and 99.7 ± 6.1 nmol/l, P = 0.005, respectively) and in nondiabetic patients (101.7 ± 5.9 nmol/24 h, P = 0.002, and 100.3 ± 5.3 nmol/l, P = 0.003, respectively). In diabetic patients, the number of complications was associated with F24 (R = 0.345; P < 0.0001) and diabetes duration (R = 0.39; P < 0.0001). Logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of diabetes complications was significantly associated with F24, sex, duration of diabetes, and glycated hemoglobin. CONCLUSIONS—In type 2 diabetic subjects, hypothalmic-pituitary-adrenal activity is enhanced in patients with diabetes complications and the degree of cortisol secretion is related to the presence and number of diabetes complications.

Context: The long-term consequences of subclinical hypercortisolism (SH) in patients with adrenal incidentalomas (AIs) are unknown. Setting and Patients: In this retrospective multicentric study, 206 AI patients with a ≥5-year follow-up (median, 72.3 mo; range, 60–186 mo) were enrolled. Intervention and Main Outcome Measures: Adrenocortical function, adenoma size, metabolic changes, and incident cardiovascular events (CVEs) were assessed. We diagnosed SH in 11.6% of patients in the presence of cortisol after a 1 mg-dexamethasone suppression test >5 μg/dL (138 nmol/L) or at least two of the following: low ACTH, increased urinary free cortisol, and 1 mg-dexamethasone suppression test >3 μg/dL (83 nmol/L). Results: At baseline, age and the prevalence of CVEs and type 2 diabetes mellitus were higher in patients with SH than in patients without SH (62.2 ± 11 y vs 58.5 ± 10 y; 20.5 vs 6%; and 33.3 vs 16.8%, respectively; P < .05). SH and type 2 diabetes mellitus were associated with prevalent CVEs (odds ratio [OR], 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1–9.0; and OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2–3.3, respectively), regardless of age. At the end of the follow-up, SH was diagnosed in 15 patients who were without SH at baseline. An adenoma size >2.4 cm was associated with the risk of developing SH (sensitivity, 73.3%; specificity, 60.5%; P = .014). Weight, glycemic, lipidic, and blood pressure control worsened in 26, 25, 13, and 34% of patients, respectively. A new CVE occurred in 22 patients. SH was associated with the worsening of at least two metabolic parameters (OR, 3.32; 95% CI, 1.6–6.9) and with incident CVEs (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.0–7.1), regardless of age and follow-up. Conclusion: SH is associated with the risk of incident CVEs. Besides the clinical follow-up, in patients with an AI >2.4 cm, a long-term biochemical follow-up is also required because of the risk of SH development.

Context: In patients with adrenal incidentalomas, subclinical hypercortisolism (SH) is associated with an increased prevalence of the metabolic syndrome. The effect of surgical/conservative approach is debated. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the effect of the surgical and conservative approaches on the metabolic syndrome in patients with adrenal incidentalomas. Design: This was a retrospective longitudinal study (18–48 months follow-up). Setting: The study was conducted on an in- and outpatient basis. Patients: One hundred eight patients with adrenal incidentalomas were studied for the presence of SH, which was diagnosed in the presence of more than two of the following: urinary free cortisol greater than 70 μg per 24 h (193 nmol per 24 h), cortisol after 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test greater than 3.0 μg/dl (83 nmol/liter), ACTH less than 10 pg/ml (2.2 pmol/liter). Interventions: Surgery was performed in 25 patients with SH (group TrSH+) and 30 without SH (group TrSH−), whereas the conservative approach was chosen by 16 patients with SH (group UntrSH+) and 37 without SH (group UntrSH−). Main Outcome Measures: During the follow-up, the improvement/worsening of body weight, blood pressure, or glucose and cholesterol levels was defined in the presence of a greater than 5% weight decrease/increase and following the European Society of Cardiology or the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, respectively. Results: In group TrSH+, weight, blood pressure, and glucose levels improved (32, 56, and 48%, respectively) more frequently than in group UntrSH+ (12.5%, P = 0.05; 0.0%, P < 0.0001; 0.0%, P = 0.001; and 0.0%, P = 0.0014, respectively). In group UntrSH+, blood pressure, glucose, and low-density lipoprotein levels worsened more frequently (50.0, 37.5, and 50.0%, respectively) than in group TrSH+ (0.0%, P < 0.0001; 0.0%, P = 0.001; and 20.0%, P = 0.05, respectively). Conclusions: Regarding the various components of the metabolic syndrome, in patients with adrenal incidentalomas and SH, surgery is beneficial.

Context: In patients with adrenal incidentalomas and subclinical hypercortisolism (SH), the factors influencing bone and the prevalence of vertebral fractures are debated. Spinal deformity index (SDI), which reflects bone quality, has never been evaluated. Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate in these patients SDI and factors influencing the prevalence of fractures. Design: This was a retrospective, multicenter study. Setting: The study was conducted on an in- and outpatient basis. Patients: Patients included 287 adrenal incidentaloma patients (111 eugonadal males, 31 premenopausal, 145 postmenopausal females) and 194 controls (90 eugonadal males, 29 premenopausal, 75 postmenopausal females). Main Outcome Measure: Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry at lumbar spine and femoral neck. By radiograph each vertebra was assessed as intact (grade 0) or grade 1 (20–25%), 2 (25–40%), or 3 (>40%) deformity; SDI was calculated by summing the grade of deformity for each vertebra. SH was diagnosed in the presence of at least two of the following: urinary free cortisol greater than 70 μg per 24 h (193.1 nmol/liter), cortisol after 1-mg dexamethasone test greater than 3.0 μg/dl (>82.8 nmol/liter), ACTH less than 10 pg/ml (<2.2 pmol/liter). Results: BMD was significantly lower in SH+ than SH− patients and controls (lumbar spine −0.73 ± 1.43, 0.17 ± 1.33, 0.12 ± 1.21, respectively; femoral neck −0.37 ± 1.06, 0.07 ± 1.09, 0.17 ± 1.02). Patients with SH had higher fracture prevalence and SDI than those without SH and controls (70.6, 22.2, 21.8%, respectively, P < 0.0001; 0.31 ± 0.68, 0.39 ± 0.93, 1.35 ± 1.27, respectively, P < 0.0001). Fractures and SDI were associated with SH (odds ratio 7.27, 95% confidence interval 3.94–13.41, P = 0.0001; β = 0.352, t = 6.241, P = 0.0001, respectively) regardless of age, BMD, menopause, and gender. Conclusion: SH is associated with low BMD, high fracture prevalence, and reduced bone quality as measured by SDI. Patients with adrenal incidentalomas and subclinical hypercortisolism have reduced bone mass and quality, and increased prevalence of vertebral fractures.

Patients with adrenal incidentalomas (AIs) and subclinical hypercortisolism (SH) have increased risk of fracture independent of bone mineral density (BMD) and possibly due to reduced bone quality. The trabecular bone score (TBS) has been proposed as a index of bone microarchitecture. The aim of the study was to investigate TBS in AI. In 102 AI patients, SH was diagnosed in the presence of at least two of the following: (1) urinary free cortisol >70 µg/24 h (193.1 nmol/L); (2) cortisol after 1‐mg dexamethasone suppression test (1‐mg DST) >3.0 µg/dL (82.8 nmol/L); or (3) adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) <10 pg/mL (<2.2 pmol/L). In patients and in 70 matched controls, BMD was measured at lumbar spine (LS) and femur (neck [FN] and total [FT]) by dual X‐ray absorptiometry and TBS was assessed in the region of LS‐BMD; BMD and TBS data were reported as Z‐scores. In patients, vertebral deformities were assessed by radiograph. Patients with SH (n = 34) had lower LS‐BMD (−0.31 ± 1.17), FT‐BMD (−0.29 ± 0.91), and TBS (−3.18 ± 1.21) than patients without SH (n = 68, 0.31 ± 1.42, p = 0.03; 0.19 ± 0.97, p = 0.01; −1.70 ± 1.54, p < 0.0001, respectively) and controls (0.42 ± 1.52, p = 0.02; 0.14 ± 0.76, p = 0.02; −1.19 ± 0.99, p < 0.0001, respectively). TBS was inversely correlated with 1‐mg DST (β = −0.26, t = −2.79, p = 0.006) regardless of age, LS‐BMD, body mass index (BMI), and gender. The presence of fracture was associated with low TBS alone (odds ratio [OR], 4.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.85–12.42, p = 0.001) and with the cluster low TBS plus low LS‐BMD (OR, 4.37; 95% CI, 1.71–11.4, p = 0.002), after adjustment for age, BMI, and gender. Low TBS plus low LS‐BMD showed a good specificity (79%) for predicting fractures, whereas normal TBS (ie, > −1.5) plus normal LS‐BMD high specificity (88.1%) for excluding fractures. Finally, TBS predicted the occurrence of a new fracture in 40 patients followed for 24 months (OR, 11.2; 95%CI, 1.71–71.41, p = 0.012) regardless of LS‐BMD, BMI, and age. In SH, bone quality, as measured by TBS, is altered. TBS is useful in detecting AI patients at risk of fractures. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Objective: In primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), vertebral fractures (VFx) occur regardless of bone mineral density (BMD) and may depend on decreased bone quality. Trabecular bone score (TBS) is a texture measurement acquired during a spinal dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Recently, TBS has been proposed as an index of bone micro-architecture.Design: We studied 92 PHPT patients (74 females, age 62.1±9.7 years) and 98 control subjects. In all patients at baseline, in 20 surgically treated patients and in 10 conservatively treated patients after 24 months, TBS, spinal (lumbar spine (LS)) and femoral (total hip (TH) and femoral neck (FN)) BMD were assessed by DXA and VFx by spinal radiograph.Results: PHPT patients had lower TBS (−2.39±1.8) and higher VFx prevalence (43.5%) than controls (−0.98±1.07 and 8.2% respectively, bothP<0.0001). TBS was associated with VFx (odds ratio 1.4, 95% CI 1.1–1.9,P=0.02), regardless of LS-BMD, age, BMI and gender, and showed a better compromise between sensitivity (75%) and specificity (61.5%) for detecting VFx than LS-BMD, TH-BMD and FN-BMD (31 and 75%, 72 and 44.2%, and 64 and 65% respectively). In surgically treated patients, TBS, LS-BMD, TH-BMD and FN-BMD increased (+47±44.8,+29.2±34.1,+49.4±48.7 and +30.2±39.3% respectively, allP<0.0001). Among patients treated conservatively, TBS decreased significantly in those (n=3) with incident VFx (−1.3±0.3) compared with those without (−0.01±0.9,P=0.048), while BMD changes were not statistically different (LS 0.3±1.2 vs −0.8±0.9 respectively,P=0.19; TH 0.4±0.8 vs −0.8±1.4 respectively,P=0.13 and FN 0.4±0.9 vs −0.8±1.4 respectively,P=0.14).Conclusions: In PHPT, bone quality, as measured by TBS, is reduced and associated with VFx and improves after surgery.