Possibly Simultaneous Primary Aldosteronism and Preclinical Cushing's Syndrome in a Patient with Double Adenomas of Right Adrenal Gland

• Published in: Endocrine Journal Vol. 54; no. 2; pp. 287 - 293
• Main Authors: SAITO, Takako, IKOMA, Aki, SAITO, Tomoyuki, TAMEMOTO, Hiroyuki, SUMINAGA, Yoshihisa, YAMADA, Shigeki, KAWAKAMI, Masanobu, SUZUKI, Takashi, SASANO, Hironobu, ISHIKAWA, San-e
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japan Endocrine Society 2007
• Subjects: Adenoma - complications; Adenoma - diagnosis; Adenoma - metabolism; Adenoma - surgery; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - complications; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - diagnosis; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - metabolism; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - surgery; Adrenocortical steroidogenic enzymes; Aldosterone - blood; Aldosterone renin ratio (ARR); Cushing Syndrome - etiology; Enzymes - metabolism; Female; Humans; Hydrocortisone - biosynthesis; Hyperaldosteronism - etiology; Hypertension - complications; Immunohistochemical staining; Immunohistochemistry - methods; Middle Aged; Mineralocorticoids - biosynthesis; Obesity - complications; Radiography, Abdominal; Renin - blood; Staining and Labeling; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Unilateral double adrenocortical adenomas
• ISSN: 0918-8959; 1348-4540
• DOI: 10.1507/endocrj.K06-180

We reported a rare case of simultaneous primary aldosteronism and preclinical Cushing's syndrome due to unilateral double adrenocortical adenomas in a 57 year-old woman who had had hypertension for the last 10 years. Abdominal computed tomography showed double tumors in her right adrenal gland. Physical findings revealed simple obesity and hypertension, but no other abnormal findings were detected. Laboratory findings demonstrated that serum potassium was 3.8 mmol/l; plasma renin activity, 0.3 ng/ml/h; plasma aldosterone, 100 pg/ml, and aldosterone renin ratio (ARR), 33. Serum cortisol was 15.7 μg/dl. There was no circadian rhythm of serum cortisol, and no suppression of serum cortisol in response to exogenous dexamethasone administration. Right adrenalectomy was performed under laparoscopy. Two well-circumscribed tumors, whose sizes were 21 and 19 mm in greatest diameter, were detected. They were macroscopically composed of a golden-yellow portion admixed with a brown portion, which corresponded to clear cells and compact cells, respectively. Immunohistochemical staining for steroidogenic enzymes demonstrated the presence of all the enzymes involved in corticosteroidogenesis in these two adenomas, indicating that the two adenomas produced both cortisol and mineralocorticoid. Specifically, one adenoma mainly caused excessive production of cortisol as compared to the other one. These findings indicate that overproduction of both cortisol and mineralocorticoid was evident in the two adenomas of the right adrenal gland in immunohistochemical study for steroidogenic enzymes, whereas there was less clinical manifestation of primary aldosteronism and Cushing's syndrome in the present patient.