Pathophysiological Link between Insulin Resistance and Adrenal Incidentalomas.
Publication/Presentation Date
4-14-2022
Abstract
Adrenal incidentalomas are incidentally discovered adrenal masses greater than one centimeter in diameter. An association between insulin resistance and adrenal incidentalomas has been established. However, the pathophysiological link between these two conditions remains incompletely characterized. This review examines the literature on the interrelationship between insulin resistance and adrenal masses, their subtypes, and related pathophysiology. Some studies show that functional and non-functional adrenal masses elicit systemic insulin resistance, whereas others conclude the inverse. Insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and the anabolic effects on adrenal gland tissue, which have insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptors, offer possible pathophysiological links. Conversely, autonomous adrenal cortisol secretion generates visceral fat accumulation and insulin resistance. Further investigation into the mechanisms and timing of these two pathologies as they relate to one another is needed and could be valuable in the prevention, detection, and treatment of both conditions.
Volume
23
Issue
8
ISSN
1422-0067
Published In/Presented At
Higgs, J. A., Quinn, A. P., Seely, K. D., Richards, Z., Mortensen, S. P., Crandall, C. S., & Brooks, A. E. (2022). Pathophysiological Link between Insulin Resistance and Adrenal Incidentalomas. International journal of molecular sciences, 23(8), 4340. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23084340
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
35457158
Department(s)
Fellows and Residents
Document Type
Article