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Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in subjects with adrenal incidentaloma

Labrini Papanastasiou1, Theodora Pappa, Christianna Samara

  • 1Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes Center, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. linapapan@yahoo.gr

European Journal of Clinical Investigation
|October 20, 2012
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Adrenal incidentalomas (AI) do not significantly increase nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) risk. However, abdominal obesity and high triglycerides are linked to hepatic steatosis in AI patients.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Hepatology
  • Cardiometabolic Health

Background:

  • Adrenal incidentalomas (AI) are linked to metabolic syndrome parameters.
  • Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a cardiometabolic risk factor.
  • Prevalence and clinical relevance of NAFLD in AI remain uninvestigated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and NAFLD in AI subjects.
  • To explore the relationship between AI, MS, and NAFLD.

Main Methods:

  • 56 AI subjects and 30 matched controls underwent CT scans for hepatic and spleen attenuation measurements.
  • NAFLD defined by hepatic minus spleen attenuation difference (ΔL-ΔS) <-10HU.
  • Evaluated anthropometrics, biochemical parameters, glucose tolerance, insulin resistance (IR), and adrenal hormone secretion.

Main Results:

  • AI subjects showed higher IR indices than controls.
  • NAFLD prevalence was similar between AI subjects (3/56) and controls (2/30).
  • Abdominal obesity (W/H) and triglycerides independently correlated with lower ΔL-ΔS (increased hepatic steatosis).

Conclusions:

  • No significant difference in NAFLD presence between AI patients and controls.
  • ΔL-ΔS, an inverse NAFLD index, is associated with abdominal obesity and elevated triglycerides.
  • These findings highlight cardiometabolic risk factors in AI patients.

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