Unilateral or bilateral adrenalectomy in PPNAD: six cases from a single family followed up over 40 years

The most frequent endocrine Carney complex manifestation is a bilateral primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease and bilateral adrenalectomy (BA) is therefore its main treatment. In this study, a 40 years follow-up of six members of the same family with heterozygous PRKAR1A germline mutation, is reported over two generations. The first cases, two sisters with severe hyperandrogenism and Cushing syndrome (CS) diagnosed in 1972 at age 14 and 25, were successfully treated with unilateral adrenalectomy (UA). Their two brothers were then diagnosed, one with a CS-related severe osteoporosis treated with BA and the other with CS treated with UA. The second generation was diagnosed with CS signs at 7 and 21 years of age and were treated with BA and UA respectively. Out of the four patients treated with UA, the only event possibly related to CS was spontaneous episode of pulmonary embolism, 30 years after surgery. Hormonal evaluation revealed either eucortisolism in one patient or partial adrenal deficiency in two and mild hypercortisolism in one patient. For the two patients with BA, one of them accidentally died. The second one, surprisingly, recovered progressively normal cortisol secretion and circadian variation. Steroid substitution was stopped 6 years after her surgery and we demonstrated by iodocholesterol scintigraphy the presence of bilateral adrenal remnants. In conclusion, our results of long term evolution of PPNAD patients show that UA in this subset of patients could be considered to treat CS.

First randomized trial on adjuvant mitotane in adrenocortical carcinoma patients: The Adjuvo study

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Background: The ESE-ENSAT guidelines on ACC management suggest adjuvant mitotane for patients at high risk of recurrence. This indication has limited evidence base, lacking results from randomized controlled trials. No suggestion for or against adjuvant mitotane in low-risk patients was given, since studies did not stratify patients for prognosis. The randomized controlled study ADIUVO compared the efficacy of adjuvant mitotane treatment vs. observation in prolonging recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients at low-intermediate risk of recurrence. Methods: The main inclusion criteria were: stage I-III ACC, R0 surgery, and Ki-67 ≤10%. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to adjuvant mitotane or observation. The primary endpoint of the study was RFS. Patients who refused randomization were eligible for the ADIUVO OBSERVATIONAL study. In this prospective, observational study, patients were managed as in ADIUVO except for randomization. A total of 91 patients were enrolled in ADIUVO, 45 in the mitotane and 46 in the observation arm. Baseline characteristics of patients were perfectly matched between the 2 arms: median age, 51 vs. 50.5 years; female, 73% vs. 67%; stage I, 20% vs. 26%; stage II, 67% vs. 63%, stage III, 13% vs. 11%; ACC secretion 44% vs. 36%; Weiss 5 vs. 5; respectively. In ADIUVO OBSERVATIONAL, 42 patients were treated with mitotane and 53 were untreated. Baseline characteristics of patients were matched between the 2 groups and with mitotane and observation groups in ADIUVO. Thus, the ADIUVO OBSERVATIONAL cohort was analyzed in parallel to deal with the lower than expected recruitment in ADIUVO. Results: In the ADIUVO study, recurrences were 8 in the MIT and 11 in the OBS arm, while deaths were 2 and 5, respectively. RFS and overall survival (OS) did not significantly differ between the 2 arms. In the OBS arm, the HR for recurrence was 1.321 (95%CI, 0.55-3.32, p = 0.54) and HR for death 2.171 (95%CI, 0.52-12.12, p = 0.29). The survival analysis in the ADIUVO OBSERVATIONAL study confirmed that of ADIUVO. Given the outcome of both studies, the NNT is 55. Conclusions: ACC patients at low-intermediate risk of recurrence after surgery are a minority; however, they show a far better prognosis than expected (5-yr RFS is 75%) and do not benefit significantly from adjuvant mitotane. The results of the ADIUVO study do not support routine use of adjuvant mitotane in this subset of patients, who may thus avoid a potentially toxic treatment. This is an important step toward personalization of ACC care. Clinical trial information: NCT00777244.

Surgery versus conservative care for Rathke's cleft cyst

BACKGROUND

Rathke's cleft cysts are benign cystic lesions of the sellar region, which may cause headache, pituitary deficiencies and visual disturbances from mass effect. Their management is not standardized yet. This study is about establishing a consensus for medical care of RCC.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective observational study of all patients that were diagnosed or followed for RCC between 2008 and 2018 (11 years), in the neurosurgical and the adult endocrine departments of our institution. The study's average time length of follow-up is 72.9 months (from 2 to 385 months).

RESULTS

The 57 included patients were divided into 2 groups: group A, which included 39 patients that were conservatively managed and group B, which included 18 surgically treated patients. Group A showed either an improvement or a spontaneous resolution of headaches in 56.1% of the cases (P<0.01); a resolution of hyperprolactinemia in 70% of the cases (P=0.21); and of hypogonadism, ACTH deficiency, growth hormone deficiency in 100% of the cases. There was no spontaneous improvement of visual disturbances (P<0.01) or diabetes insipidus (P=0.29) during follow-up. Regarding group B, surgery allowed improvement or complete resolution of headaches in 60% of the cases; visual troubles in 100% of the cases (P<0.01); and hyperprolactinemia in 100% of the cases. Pituitary deficiencies were not improved by surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

This study offers guidance in decision-making regarding the management of RCC patients. Surgery is particularly suitable for treating visual disturbances caused by RCC. Regular follow-up is more appropriate than surgery concerning headaches, hyperprolactinemia, endocrine disruptions and diabetes insipidus.

Discordant biological parameters of remission in acromegaly do not increase the risk of hypertension or diabetes: a study with the Liege Acromegaly Survey database

PURPOSE

Acromegaly is a rare disease due to growth hormone (GH)-secreting pituitary adenoma. GH and IGF-1 levels are usually congruent, indicating either remission or active disease; however, a discrepancy between GH and IGF-1 may occur. We aimed to evaluate the outcome of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HT) in acromegalic patients with congruent GH and/or IGF-1 levels vs. discordant biochemical parameters.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of the data of 3173 patients from the Liege Acromegaly Survey (LAS) allowed us to include 190 patients from 8 tertiary referral centers across Europe, treated by surgery, with available data concerning DM and HT both at diagnosis and at the last follow-up (LFU). We recorded the number of anti-HT and anti-DM drugs used at the first evaluation and at LFU for every patient.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine patients belonged to the REM group (concordant parameters), 65 patients were considered as GH_dis (high random GH/controlled IGF-1), and 26 patients were considered as IGF-1_dis (high IGF-1/controlled random GH). At diagnosis, 72 patients (37.8%) had HT and 54 patients had DM (28.4%). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of the number of anti-HT and anti-DM drugs at diagnosis versus LFU (mean duration: 7.3 ± 4.5 years) between all three groups.

CONCLUSION

The long-term outcome of DM and HT in acromegaly does not tend to be more severe in patients with biochemical discordance in comparison with patients considered as in remission on the basis of concordant biological parameters, suggesting that patients with biochemical discordance do not require a closer follow-up.

Isolated FSH deficiency revealing a granulosa cell tumor

We report a case of a 41-year-old woman with a recent secondary amenorrhea and infertility. The initial assessment ruled out premature ovarian failure, polycystic ovary syndrome and led to suspect a hypothalamo-pituitary cause. However, the unusual hormone pattern with a very low level of FSH, normal levels of LH and estradiol, associated with a positive progesterone test suggested the presence of a FSH inhibiting factor: the unexpectedly high levels of inhibin B and AMH were suggestive of a granulosa cell tumor as showed by the radiologic findings. This prompted a surgical exploration, which confirmed the putative diagnosis. This case report illustrates the inhibin B and AMH values and the modern-day pelvic imaging data encountered in menstrual irregularities caused by a granulosa cell tumor.