A retrospective study on the association between urine metanephrines and cardiometabolic risk in patients with nonfunctioning adrenal incidentaloma

Abstract

Several studies argued that cardiovascular evaluation of patients with nonfunctioning adrenal incidentaloma is of particular importance. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the possibility of stratifying the cardiometabolic risk using metanephrine levels in this setting of patients. A retrospective cross-sectional study was designed, collecting data of metanephrine values in 828 patients with nonfunctioning adrenal incidentaloma, referred to our Division within the University of Turin between 2007 and 2021. The univariate analysis showed associations between urine metanephrines and cardiometabolic variables/parameters, particularly considering the noradrenaline metabolite. At the univariate regression, normetanephrine was associated with metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.13, p = 0.002), hypertensive cardiomyopathy (OR = 1.09, p = 0.026), microalbuminuria (OR = 1.14, p = 0.024), and eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² (OR = 1.11, p = 0.013), while metanephrine was associated with microalbuminuria (OR = 1.50, p = 0.008). At multivariate regression, considering all major cardiovascular risk factors as possible confounders, normetanephrine retained a significant association with metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.10, p = 0.037). Moreover, metanephrine retained a significant association with the presence of microalbuminuria (OR = 1.66, p = 0.003). The present study showed a further role for metanephrines in the cardiovascular risk stratification of patients with nonfunctioning adrenal incidentaloma. Individuals with high levels of these indirect markers of sympathetic activity should be carefully monitored and may benefit from an aggressive treatment to reduce their additional cardiometabolic burden.