Adrenal biopsy for urological renal diseases compared with biochemical laboratory findings.

Abstract

Adrenal biopsy was carried out at the time of operations for renal diseases and the histological findings in 62 cases were studied with systemic biochemical laboratory examinations. Adrenalitis prevalent in infected renal diseases as a probable sequence of contiguous involvement had apparently no direct relation to the level of urinary 17-OHCS. Hyperplasia of the adult glomerulosa was high in incidence in cases with hypertension and/or low levels of serum potassium. Outward transformation of fasciculata cells was prevalent in cases with high levels of NPN, hypertension and/or abnormal levels of serum potassium. Inward transformation of fasciculata cells was closely related with elevated levels of urinary 17-OHCS and 17-KS. This lesion as well as hyperplasia of the reticularis was frequently associated with low A/G ratios.