Corticosterone-secreting tumours: with and without renal artery stenosis

Two cases of corticosterone-secreting adrenal adenomata are reported. Both patients were middle-aged females in whom the clinical course spanned several years before the diagnosis was made. Severe hypertension and recurrent hypokalaemia refractory to standard treatments were outstanding features. The importance of measuring the production rates of all mineralocorticoids when a tumour is suspected is emphasized by Case 1 where the production rate of corticosterone alone was elevated. Bilateral renal artery stenosis was responsible for unsuppressed plasma renin activity in Case 2.