Metabolic effects of metyrapone treatment in patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion: a prospective proof-of-concept trial

TL;DR

This study shows that metyrapone treatment in patients with mild cortisol overproduction reduces liver fat and improves metabolic health.

Contribution

The study provides first evidence that metyrapone can lower intrahepatic lipid content and improve metabolic markers in patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion.

Findings

Metyrapone significantly reduced intrahepatic lipid content in patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion.

The treatment improved fasting insulin, c-peptide levels, and inflammatory parameters.

No adverse symptoms of adrenal insufficiency were reported during the study.

Abstract

Mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) is associated with an increased morbidity and mortality. Treatment options range from adrenalectomy to conservative management of comorbidities, but evidence on the effects of medical treatment is scarce. We therefore aimed to investigate the metabolic effects of evening metyrapone treatment in patients with MACS.

We did a prospective, open-label, proof-of-concept trial (EudraCT: 2022-000161-40). Patients with uni-or bilateral adrenal incidentaloma and MACS defined by cortisol >1·8 μg/dL after 1 mg-dexamethasone-suppression-testing without clinical signs of Cushing's syndrome were included. Participants were investigated at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment with metyrapone (500 mg at 6 p.m. and 250 mg at 10 p.m.). Intrahepatic lipid content (IHL) and abdominal visceral/subcutaneous fat mass were measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging. Resting blood pressure measurements and blood sampling before and during an oral glucose tolerance test were conducted. IHL was the primary outcome parameter. Wilcoxon-signed-rank-tests were used for statistical analysis.

Between May 2023 and September 2024, 19 patients were enrolled. Fifteen patients were included in the final analysis (12 female, median age 59 years [IQR 53–64]; median BMI 28 kg/m2 [25–32]; median cortisol after 1 mg-dexamethasone-suppression-testing 2·9 μg/dL [2·4–4·6]). Metyrapone treatment significantly lowered median IHL at follow up compared with baseline (3·85% of water signal [IQR 1·52–6·58] vs 1·92% [1·12–5·91]; p = 0·010). Median fasting insulin (12·6 μlU/mL [IQR 10·5–19·5] vs 9·3 μlU/mL [7·2–14·4]; p = 0·041), median c-peptide concentrations (3·0 ng/mL [2·5–4·4] vs 2·8 ng/mL [2·2–3·4], p = 0·024) and inflammatory parameters (median leukocyte count 8·1 G/L [6·4–8·9] vs 7·4 G/L [6·0–8·8]; p = 0·018; median neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio 2·39 [1·74–2·75] vs 2·04 [1·47–2·55]; p = 0·00020) improved. Median systolic (128 mmHg [IQR 122–139] vs 122 mmHg [119–126]; p = 0·075) and diastolic (83 mmHg [80–95] vs 78 mmHg [75–91]; p = 0·10) blood pressure was non-significantly lower at follow up. No patient reported adverse symptoms of adrenal insufficiency during the study period.

Treatment of MACS with evening doses of metyrapone lowers hepatic lipid content and improves the metabolic risk profile and might offer a novel therapeutic approach.

10.13039/100017521Esteve (formerly HRA pharma) to the Medical University of Vienna (PI:PW).

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