Adrenocortical hyperplasia associated with ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome: Comparison of the size of adrenal glands with clinical and endocrinological data

Diffuse or nodular hyperplasia of adrenal glands is associated frequently with ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome. We carried out a retrospective analysis of 28 patients with ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome admitted to our institution between 1984 and 1999 in order to clarify the incidence of adrenal hyperplasia in ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome and also to determine the correlation between adrenal gland images and clinical, biochemical and endocrinological data. Of the 28 patients, 16 (57%) showed diffuse adrenal hyperplasia while only 3 had focal adrenal nodules in the hypertrophied adrenals. There was a positive, significant correlation between the width of the adrenal glands measured on CT and circulating plasma ACTH, cortisol levels and urinary free cortisol (UFC) levels. Duration of the disease also correlated positively with adrenal width. No correlation was found between age and adrenal size and there was no difference in the prevalence of diffuse hyperplasia between normotensive and hypertensive patients. These results suggest that chronic ACTH hypersecretion may lead to diffuse adrenal hyperplasia in patients with ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome.