Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Measurements of plasma metanephrines provide a sensitive test for diagnosis of pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL). However, false positive results can pose a diagnostic dilemma for clinicians. The aim of the study was to determine whether commonly prescribed drugs with potential action on the sympathetic nervous system can falsely elevate plasma free normetanephrine, metanephrine and methoxytyramine.Methods: This retrospective study includ...

Background: Current guidelines recommend adrenal vein sampling (AVS) for the identification of surgically treatable unilateral disease among patients with primary aldosteronism (PA). The cortisol-derived selectivity index (SI) is currently used to assess the success (or selectivity) of adrenal vein catheterization during AVS. However, AVS studies can be non-selective in many cases.Aim: To examine whether the use of SI derived either from 11-deoxycortisol...

Background: Diagnostic stratification of patients with suspected primary aldosteronism (PA) is a multistep process reliant on tests that are not infallible. Only through prospective studies can diagnostic accuracy be appropriately assessed.Methods: The PROSALDO trial enrolled 819 patients between 2019 and 2023 to assess steroid profiles against routine tests for diagnostic stratification. A combination of these tests and outcome assessments, including me...

Background: Whether environmental pollution may influence adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) development remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of exposition to environmental pollutants on ACC presentation and prognosis in Italy.Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis was done on 500 patients affected by ACC, who were diagnosed in 12 reference centers in Italy from 1990 to 2018 and followed-up for a median of 37.5 mo...