Aldosterone-Cortisol co-secretion in different adrenal tumors: A case series

Abstract

Primary aldosteronism is the most common cause of endocrine hypertension. It commonly presents as refractory hypertension, carrying an elevated risk of cardiac and renal complications. Concurrent hypercortisolemia exacerbates the susceptibility to metabolic disorders, including obesity, dyslipidemia, abnormal blood glucose levels, and cardiovascular and renal diseases. Among the reported patients with co-secretion of aldosterone, the majority are aldosterone producing adenoma. Cases of bilateral adrenal hyperplasia secreting both aldosterone and cortisol are rarely reported. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, and imaging findings in two cases involving unilateral aldosterone-producing adenomas and bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia respectively. Notably, our patients exhibited a cortisol circadian rhythm during the initial screening, complicating the diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome. The incorporation of early or routine low-dose dexamethasone suppression tests may prove beneficial in identifying co-secretory lesions promptly, assessing the risk of perioperative adrenal insufficiency, and guiding subsequent treatment and prognosis evaluation.