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Endocrine Abstracts (2022) 81 EP19 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.81.EP19

1Farhat-Hached University Hospital, Endocrinology-Diabetology Department, Sousse, Tunisia; 2Faculty of Medicine Ibn El Jazzar, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia; 3Farhat-Hached University Hospital, Department of Clinical Hematology, Sousse, Tunisia.


Introduction: Niemann Pick disease is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency in acid sphingomyelinase. Usually discovered in childhood, it can affect liver, spleen and pulmonary function. Here, we report the case of a Niemann Pick type B disease in an adult associated with bilateral adrenal incidentalomas.

Observation: A 45-year-old male patient was found to have bilateral adrenal incidentalomas associated with hepatomegaly and multinodular splenomegaly, discovered by an abdominal CT scan that was requested during his follow-up for inguinal and umbilical hernia. MRI and CT scan with contrast showed bilateral adrenal hyperplasia and a 26 mm non-adenoma in the medial arm of the right adrenal gland. The patient’s clinical examination and biological workup were normal. Short synacthen test ruled out adrenal insufficiency. Plasma metanephrines and low-dose dexamethasone suppression test excluded adrenal hypersecretion. During etiological workup of the splenomegaly, the patient underwent a bone marrow biopsy revealing sea-blue histiocytosis. In addition, a serum acid sphingomyelinase activity assay revealed a deficiency (<0.3 μmol/l per hour) confirming the Niemann-Pick disease type B.

Discussion: The prevalence of adrenal incidentalomas is approximately 5% in the general population and they are bilateral in 7.8 to 15% of cases. Systematic etiological investigation of bilateral adrenal lesions is necessary to exclude malignancies and hypersecretions. Niemann-Pick diseases are characterized notably by hepatosplenomegaly and gradual deterioration in pulmonary function. Its association with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, adrenal masses and sea-blue histiocytosis has not been previously reported in the literature.

Volume 81

European Congress of Endocrinology 2022

Milan, Italy
21 May 2022 - 24 May 2022

European Society of Endocrinology 

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