Adrenal gland volume after spinal cord injury
Journal
American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Journal Volume
81
Journal Issue
7
Pages
483-488
Date Issued
2002
Author(s)
Abstract
Objective: Spinal cord injury in adult men may result in hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction. Atrophy of adrenal glands was speculated in these patients. This study was undertaken to clarify the functional-anatomic correlation between adrenal volume and body surface area in subjects with spinal cord injury with impaired adrenal reserve. Design: Twenty male subjects with chronic spinal cord injury with impaired adrenal reserve were identified by adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test from a group of 42 subjects. All subjects with spinal cord injury and healthy volunteers underwent computed tomographic imaging with contiguous 3-mm section over adrenal glands for volumetric measurements. Ten pairs of subjects with spinal cord injury and controls with matched height and weight were included in the statistical analysis. Results: Significantly increased relative adrenal volumes were noted among subjects with chronic spinal cord injury and impaired adrenal reserve as compared with the body weight-matched and heightmatched control group. Conclusions: Increased relative adrenal volumes were found after chronic spinal cord injury. Hyperplasia of the zona glomerulosa may be the cause of increased relative adrenal volume after chronic spinal cord injury.
SDGs
Other Subjects
Biological organs; Computerized tomography; Diseases; Hormones; Statistical methods; Volumetric analysis; Hormone stimulation tests; Medical applications; corticotropin; adrenal disease; article; body surface; cell hyperplasia; chronic disease; clinical article; computer assisted tomography; controlled study; correlation analysis; corticotropin test; functional anatomy; human; human tissue; hypothalamus hypophysis adrenal system; image analysis; male; organ weight; spinal cord injury; zona glomerulosa; Adrenal Glands; Adrenal Insufficiency; Adult; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Organ Size; Pituitary-Adrenal Function Tests; Spinal Cord Injuries; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Type
journal article