Surgical treatment of primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective To discuss the surgical treatment of primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease(PPNAD).Methods twenty-four cases of PPNAD were treated in our hospital from January 2005 to December 2017.Clinical data of these patients were reviewed.It included 8 males and 16 females with a mean age of 23 years old (range 14 to 58).23 cases presented with typical symptoms of Cushing syndrome, 1 case presented with hypertension.Eight cases could be diagnosed with Carney complex.All cases were confirmed as ACTH-independent Cushing syndrome.Adrenal imaging showed bilateral multiple nodules in 11 cases, unilateral multiple nodules in 4 cases, unilateral single mass or nodule in 3 cases, normal adrenals in 6 cases.Results All of the 24 cases received laparoscope unilateral adrenalectomy or laparoscope unilateral mass resection.After the operation, 8 cases underwent secondary operation because of symptom recurrence and the elevated 24-hour urinary free cortisol.Among them, 5 cases received contralateral subtotal adrenalectomy, 3 cases received contralateral total adrenalectomy.Seven cases with a slightly elevated 24-hour urinary free cortisol but a good recovery of Cushing symptoms were followed-up.Nine cases recovered well after the first operation and they didn't undergo secondary surgical treatment, but 1 of the 9 cases needed glucocorticoid replacement.Conclusions Bilateral adrenalectomy followed with long-term glucocorticoid replacement is the standard treatment of PPNAD.Unilateral adrenalectomy or subtotal adrenalectomy may be suitable for elected patients, but appropriate criteria need to be explored.

A pedigree study of a patient with primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease and familial gene mutation / 中华内科杂志

Objective To clarify the clinical features and genetic background of a kindred of primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD).Methods Detailed clinical characteristics and laboratory test results from a ten-year old girl diagnosed as PPNAD were collected.Seven members of her family were screened for Cushing syndrome and Carney complex,and their blood DNA was extracted and sequenced for PRKAR1A,PDE11A,PDE8B and CTNNB1 mutations with ABI3730.Results The girl presented with symptoms and signs of hypercortisolism,while no features of Carney complex were observed.Hypercortisolemia,suppressed corticotrophin and high urinary free cortisol level were revealed.Cortisol level could not be suppressed both in high and low dose dexamethasone suppression test.The diagnosis of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)-independent Cushing syndrome was established.Image and pathology of adrenal glands were in accordance with PPNAD.Other family members showed no evidence of Cushing syndrome or Carney complex.DNA sequencing showed that the patient harbored a missense mutation,C18G.Her father and younger sister were proved to be carriers of this mutation.Conclusion A Chinese PPNAD family was identified clinically and genetically,and a novel missense mutation of PRKAR1A was found.

Study of gene mutation in a Chinese family with Carney's complex / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Objective To identify PRKAR1A mutations in a pedigree with Carney's complex through clinical investigation and molecular biology research,and to summarize the genetic law,characteristics,and clinical features of this family disease.Methods The family members received a detailed medical examination and related biochemical tests.The hereditary history and clinical features were recorded.DNAs of 12 family members were extracted from blood and 9 exons and adjacent introns of PRKAR1A were sequenced.Results PRKAR1A mutation intron4 c.440+4 delG was identified in 7 family members,including the proband's patient,who presented special signs of pigmentation on the lips,buccal mucosa,and fingertips.Conclusions The deletion mutation (c.440+4del G) in intron 4 of the PRKAR1A gene was found in this family,which is possibly associated with the phenotype skin pigmentation.

Clinical analysis of 8 cases of primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease / 基础医学与临床

Objective To summarize the clinical characteristics of primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD).Methods Eight patients with PPNAD from 2001 to 2009 in PUMC Hospital were reviewed,their clinical data were collected.Results PPNAD often occurred in adolescents.62.5% of patients with PPNAD were complicated with Carney complex(CNC).In addition to general features of Cushing's syndrome,amenorrhea and growth retardation in stature were very frequent in clinical manifestations of PPNAD.Plasma ACTH was undetectable,circadian rhythm of plasma cortisol was disappeared,glucocorticoid excretion was increased paradoxically during the dexamethasone suppression test in 50% patients with PPNAD.Adrenal imaging from 75% patients revealed normal-sized adrenal glands or suspectable micronodular changes.Adrenal pathologic analysis revealed numerous brown cortical nodules containing lipofuscin pigmentation.Unilateral adrenalectomy may relieve symptoms of Cushing's syndrome,but plasma ACTH and circadian rhythm of plasma cortisol were difficult to recovere.Hypercorticoidism might re-occure after unilateral adrenalectomy.Conclusion PPNAD should be bewared in ACTH independent Cushing's syndrome patients without apparent adrenal mass,and CNC should be screened and followed up.

Case report of primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease and literature review / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical features and the management of primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease PPNAD) and to evaluate its relationship with Carney complex. Methods One case of PPNAD reported. The patient was a 52 years oldmale. He was hospitalized because of hypertension for one year. The patient had a Cushing's face with elevated plasma and urine cortisone levels which could not be suppressed by both low dose and high dose dexamethasone tests. Ultrasonography howed normal bilateral adrenal glands. CT scan found a 1.6 cm × 2.0 cm mass in the left adrenal gland and normal on tralateral adrenal gland. Results The patient had accepted left laparoscopic adrenalectomy. The pathological examination onfirmed the diagnosis of PPNAD. Micro scopic study showed that there were black-gray spots in the center of the specimen. Hyperplasia was found in all the three adrenal zones. Lipofuscin was observed in the cytoplasm of reticular zone cells. The patient's blood pressure had returned to normal level after the surgery. Conclusions PPNAD is a rare type of ypercortisolism. As there is no specific feature in clinical manifestation and radiological examination of this disease, it is very easy to make a misdiagnosis in clinical practice. PPNAD itself can be the comorbidity of Carney complex, careful differentiation is needed.

Bilateral primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease: a case of report describing a rare cause of Cushing's syndrome

A case of Cushing's syndrome due to bilateral pigmented nodular adrenal disease in a 35-year-old male is presented. The adrenals showed multiple, black, variable sized nodules. Histologically the cells contained lipofuscin and either had a clear cytoplasm or an eosinophilic cytoplasm with a prominent nucleus. Lymphocytic infiltration and fatty metaplasia within the nodules are two of the prominent histological features. There is extreme internodular atrophy which suggests that primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease is a non-adrenocorticotropic hormone dependent condition. Since the disorder appears to involve primarily the cortex of both adrenals, the treatment of choice is bilateral adrenalectomy followed by steroid replacement. The characteristic clinicopathological manifestations that separate this diagnosis from other types of adrenal disease are also discussed. This is the first reported case in Korea to be documented with the pertinent clinicopathological findings.