Endocrine Abstracts

In this study we compared plasma adiponectin levels between patients with non-functional adrenal incidentaloma and subclinical Cushing’s syndrome. Our aims were to determine whether there was any difference of plasma adiponectin levels, any relation between cardiovasculer risk factors and to investigate the importance of adiponectin levels in subclinical Cushing’s syndrome patients according to non-functional adrenal incidentaloma patients. The patients referred from other clinics to Baskent University Hospital Endocrinology Department due to adrenal incidentaloma were taken to study. In the patients group that was defined as subclinical Cushing’s syndrome, the fasting blood insulin and HOMA-IR levels were high and adiponectin levels were distinctively low (P<0.05). Although in patients with subclinical Cushing’s syndrome relation between adiponectin levels and cardiovasculer risk factors was not found, adiponectin levels were positively related with body fat percentage and HDL-cholesterol, negatively related with waist/hip ratio, body free fat mass and trigliserid levels in group of nonfuntional adrenal incidentaloma. When investigated for HPA axis abnormalities, significant relation between adiponectin levels and cortisol levels after dexamethasone suppression were found. In subclinical Cushing’s syndrome patients with adrenal incidentaloma, the low adiponectin levels may be due to glucocorticoid excess independent of metabolic parameters. Plasma adiponectin levels in subclinical Cushing’s syndrome patients were no seem to be good marker for determination of cardiovasculer risks and treatment management.