Screening for non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia in women: New insights using different immunoassays

Genotype-Specific Cortisol Reserve in a Cohort of Subjects With Nonclassic Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (NCCAH)

CONTEXT

Recent guidelines suggest that patients with nonclassic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCCAH) stop glucocorticoid therapy after achieving adult height. However, these guidelines do not differentiate between NCCAH genotype groups.

OBJECTIVE

Compare ACTH-stimulated cortisol and 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) levels, and the rate of partial cortisol insufficiency in subjects with NCCAH carrying one mild and one severe (mild/severe) mutation vs subjects with biallelic mild (mild/mild) mutations.

METHODS

Retrospective evaluation of the medical records of 122 patients who presented with postnatal virilization and were diagnosed with NCCAH. Patients underwent standard intravenous 0.25 mg/m2 ACTH stimulation testing. Those with stimulated 17OHP level ≥40 nmol/L were screened for the 9 most frequent CYP21A2 gene mutations followed by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. A stimulated cortisol level below 500 nmol/L was defined as partial cortisol deficiency.

RESULTS

Patients were subdivided into 3 genotype groups: 77 carried the mild/mild genotype, mainly homozygous for p.V281L mutation; 29 were compound heterozygous for mild/severe mutation, mainly p.V281L/p.I2Splice, and 16 were heterozygous for p.V281L, and were excluded from statistical evaluation. Stimulated cortisol levels were significantly lower in the mild/severe than in the mild/mild group (mean ± SD, 480 ± 90 vs 570 ± 125 nmol/L, P < .001). The mild/severe group exhibited a significantly higher rate of partial cortisol insufficiency (21/28, 75% vs 28/71, 39%, P = .004). Peak 17OHP was significantly higher in the mild/severe group (198 ± 92 vs 118 ± 50 nmol/L, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

The high rate of partial adrenal insufficiency in the mild/severe group underscores the need to carefully consider the value of glucocorticoid therapy cessation and the importance of stress coverage in this group.

Influence of Phenotypes on the Metabolic Syndrome of Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome over a Six-Year Follow-Up in Brazil

BACKGROUND

We followed polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) women with metabolic syndrome (MS) over a six-year treatment period and evaluated the influence of PCOS phenotypes on MS and on the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

This was an observational study of 457 PCOS women, whose demographic, clinical, hormonal, and metabolic data underwent analysis. The PCOS women were divided into four groups per NIH recommendations.

RESULTS

After a follow-up of a mean of six years (1-20 years), 310 patients were selected to assess the development of T2DM and MS. The clinical and biochemical parameters, along with the Rotterdam phenotypes, were evaluated. Data were analyzed using Student's t- and the Pearson chi-square tests for data variation and group proportions, respectively. Additionally, multivariate analysis was applied to evaluate the effect of PCOS phenotypes on the risk for MS and T2DM. Patients of the four PCOS phenotypes did not differ in age, body mass index, total testosterone, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia, but phenotype A patients showed the highest risk for T2DM. A decrease in androgen levels was not followed by an improved metabolic profile; instead, there was a significant increase in the number of T2DM cases.

CONCLUSION

Phenotype A women are at the highest risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus.