title: Adrenocortical tumors: prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance and of "Paradoxical Rise" of cortisol during an oral glucose tolerance test.
abstract: Glucose tolerance and the behaviour of cortisol during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was investigated in 126 patients with adrenal "incidentalomas" (age: > 45 years) and in 129 age-matched controls. Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) was found to be more common (p < 0.02) among patients with adrenal incidentalomas. Subdividing these patients by their body weight it was found that 29% (controls: 25%) of those with normal body weight (BMI 20 - 25 kg/m2) had IGT/DM. In overweight (BMI 25 - 30 kg/m2) and obese patients (BMI 30 - 40 kg/m2) the share of IGT/DM was 32% (controls: 19%) and 66% (controls 42%), respectively. The prevalence of a "paradoxical" rise in serum cortisol concentrations during the OGTT was slightly higher (p < 0.05) among patients with adrenal incidentaloma than among controls. Patients as well as controls with this abnormal behaviour of cortisol were characterized by lower basal serum cortisol concentrations (p < 0.01) but no association was seen with either the presence of IGT or with post-dexamethasone concentrations of serum cortisol. Thus both in patients with and without adrenal incidentalomas abnormal glucose tolerance is an age- and weight-dependent phenomenon unrelated to the post-prandial behaviour of serum cortisol concentrations.
authors: Clinical Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine III, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. h.vierhapper@akh-wien.ac.at
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Vierhapper
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Heinze
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Gessl
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Exner
mesh_terms: D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D018246:Adrenocortical Adenoma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005947:Glucose; D006854:Hydrocortisone