Although basal cortisol and aldosterone levels were similar between them, cortisol levels after the 1-mg DST and the prevalences of diabetes mellitus and proteinuria were significantly higher and ACTH levels and plasma renin activity were significantly lower in cases with ATs than in those without.
In the absence of relevant symptoms, endocrine biology can be restricted to patients with adrenal tumours and should focus on steroid secretion including the aldosterone-renin system.
More recently, several receptors have been shown to be expressed in aldosterone-producing adrenal tumors in vitro and to regulate aberrantly renin-independent aldosterone secretion in vivo.