ArticleFrontiers in endocrinology2026
Is muscle strength an overlooked parameter in patients affected by mild autonomous cortisol secretion?
Article in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Adrenal incidentalomas are an increasing clinical concern and, while most are non-functioning adrenal adenomas (NFAA), a relevant subset is associated with mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS), condition linked to various comorbidities, including metabolic and musculoskeletal alterations. However, the association with a reduction in muscle strength and mass is still controversial. Methods: We evaluated the effects of mild cortisol excess on skeletal muscle health, body composition, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with adrenal incidentalomas associated with MACS, compared with those with NFAA and healthy controls. Sixty-two participants were enrolled: 21 with MACS, 21 with NFAA, and 20 healthy controls. Skeletal muscle strength was assessed using handgrip dynamometry, the sit-to-stand test, and the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale. Body composition was analyzed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and quality of life was assessed using the EQ-5D and SARC-F questionnaires. Results: Patients with MACS had a significantly higher prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis compared to NFAA and controls (61.9% vs. 28.6% and 25%, respectively; p= 0.03). No significant differences were observed in fat-free mass (FFM), muscle mass (MM), or fat mass (FM) among groups. MACS patients showed significantly reduced MRC scores for biceps and quadriceps compared to controls (p=0.04). Patients with osteoporosis/osteopenia and reduced muscle strength exhibited higher post-dexamethasone suppression test (DST) cortisol concentrations although not significant. Similarly, QoL scores showed a trend toward greater impairment in the MACS group. Conclusion: It's one of the first studies assessing muscle mass and performance in MACS compared to NFAA and healthy controls. Our results underline the impact of mild hypercortisolism on proximal myopathy, suggesting an under-recognized musculoskeletal impact supporting the clinical relevance of MACS.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.