Evaluation of haemostatic and fibrinolytic markers in patients with Cushing's syndrome and in patients with adrenal incidentaloma

Summary:

It is known that either chronic glucocorticoid administration or endogenous hypercortisolism frequently induce an hypercoagulable condition. Since little is known about the evaluation of markers of haemostatic and fibrinolytic systems in other adrenal disorders, we studied plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), tissue-plasminogen activator (t-PA), fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF-Ag) levels in 11 patients with Cushing's syndrome and in 12 patients with adrenal incidentaloma. In patients with Cushing's syndrome mean PAI-1, t-PA and vWF-Ag levels did not significantly differ from those found in 50 age- and sex-matched controls, while mean fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in patients (337.0 ± 39.1 mg/dl) than in normal subjects (278.9 ± 8.4 mg/dl). Patients with adrenal incidentaloma showed PAI-1, t-PA and vWF-Ag mean levels superimposable to those in controls, while fibrinogen (319.7 ± 27.9 mg/dl) was slightly, although not significantly, higher than in normals. Considering the limits of normal values (as mean ± 2 SD) obtained in the control group, high PAI-1 levels were found in 2 patients with Cushing's syndrome and in 3 patients with incidentaloma. An elevation of fibrinogen levels was found in 3 patients with Cushing's syndrome and in 3 with incidentaloma. Increased vWF-Ag levels were found only in 1 patient with Cushing's syndrome. An increased t-PA level was occasionally observed only in the patient with adrenal carcinoma. On the whole, an alteration of at least one of haemostatic and fibrinolytic parameters was detected in 55% of the patients with Cushing's syndrome and in 42% of those with adrenal incidentaloma. In conclusion, early alterations of coagulation and fibrinolytic systems may be found in some patients with adrenal disorders, thus suggesting the opportunity of an accurate follow-up in order to identify possible risk factors for cardiovascular disease and thromboembolism.

Key words:

Adrenal incidentaloma - Cushing's syndrome - hypercortisolism - fibrinolysis - coagulation

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