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Altered Bone Mass and Turnover in Female Patients with Adrenal Incidentaloma: The Effect of Subclinical Hypercortisolism

Division and Research Unit of Endocrinology (M.T., I.C., V.T., A.S.), Departments of Clinical Laboratory (M.P.), Radiology (G.G., M.C.), Nuclear Medicine (S.M.), and Internal Medicine (V.C.), Scientific Institute Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 S. Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Massimo Torlontano, M.D., Division and Research Unit of Endocrinology, Scientific Institute Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 S. Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy.

The strategy of treatment for patients with adrenal incidentalomas (AI) may depend upon the presence of hormonal hypersecretion. Although alterations of bone turnover have been recently reported, data on bone mineral density (BMD) are not available in AI patients. We evaluated bone turnover and BMD in 32 female AI patients and 64 matched controls. Spinal and femoral BMD were similar in patients and controls. Serum bone GLA protein (6.8 ± 3.5 vs. 8.8 ± 3.2 ng/mL; P < 0.005) and PTH (48.8 ± 15.1 vs. 37.2 ± 10.9 pg/mL; P < 0.0001) were different in patients and controls. Patients were then subdivided into 2 groups: with (n = 8; group A) or without (n = 24; group B) subclinical hypercortisolism. PTH was higher (P < 0.05) in group A than in group B and in both groups than in controls (57.1 ± 13.6, 46.0 ± 14.8, and 37.2 ± 10.9 pg/mL, respectively), and bone GLA protein was lower in group A than in group B and controls (3.8 ± 2.3, 7.5 ± 3.1, and 8.8 ± 3.2 ng/mL, respectively; P < 0.05). Serum type I cross-linked C telopeptide and fasting urinary deoxypyridinoline/creatinine were not different in the three groups. BMD at each site was lower (P < 0.05) in group A than in group B and controls. Bone mass and metabolism are altered in AI patients with subclinical hypercortisolism and should be taken into account, therefore, when addressing the treatment of choice for these patients.

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