MONOCYTE COUNT TO HDL-CHOLESTEROL RATIO MAY BE A NOVEL CARDIOMETABOLIC MARKER IN PATIENTS WITH FUNCTIONAL ADRENAL TUMORS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The monocyte count to HDL-Cholesterol ratio (MHR) was increased in patients with cardiovascular disease and, showed as an indicator of cardiovascular risk factors. Functional adrenal tumor and even nonfunctional adrenal adenomas are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. This is the first study to evaluate the MHR value in patients with adrenal tumors, and examine its relation with cardiometabolic risk factors.MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients with functional adrenal tumor (10 Cushing syndrome, 12 pheochromocytoma, and 2 primary hyperaldosteronism), patients with non-functional adrenal adenoma (n=33) and, control subjects (n=50) were included. Anthropometric, hormonal and biochemical results, lipid panel, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), blood pressure (BP), blood cell counts, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) were compared.RESULTS: Mean age (51.14±2.03 vs 54.01±9.37 years), sex distribution (female 66.7 % vs 73.8 %), and body mass index (31.12±3.38 vs 30.46±2.96 kg/m2) were similar between adrenal tumor and control group (respectively, p>0.05). The MHR value was higher in the functional tumor group compared with the non-functional adenoma and control group (13.79±3.14, 10.19±2.84 vs 10.08±1.82, respectively, p<0.05). MHR value was similar between the non-functional adenoma and controls (p>0.05). MHR value was positively correlated with systolic BP (r=0.480, p<0.001), diastolic BP (r=0.452, p<0.001), FPG (r=0.333, p=0.001), hs-CRP (r=0.538, p=0.001) and, urinary normetanephrine concentrations (r=0.302, p=0.043). Functional adrenal tumor with cardiovascular disease had higher MHR value compared with those without cardiovascular disease (14.69±2.67 vs 11.84±2.57, p<0.05).CONCLUSIONS: The MHR value was increased in patients with functional adrenal tumor; however it did not increase in patients with nonfunctional adenoma. MHR value was correlated with cardio-metabolic risk factors such as FPG, BP, and hs-CRP. The MHR value suggests as a predictive marker for cardiometabolic risk factors in functional adrenal tumors.