%0 Journal Article
%T MRI-based adrenal gland volume is associated with cardiovascular alterations in individuals without prior cardiovascular disease.
%A Askani E
%A Rospleszcz S
%A Lorbeer R
%A Wintergerst C
%A Müller-Peltzer K
%A Nattenmüller J
%A Hasic D
%A von Krüchten R
%A Kellner E
%A Reisert M
%A Rathmann W
%A Peters A
%A Schlett CL
%A Bamberg F
%A Storz C
%J Sci Rep
%V 14
%N 1
%D 2024 06 25
%M 38918570
%F 4.996
%R 10.1038/s41598-024-65673-2
%X Aim of this study was to analyse the associations of cardiovascular health and adrenal gland volume as a rather new imaging biomarker of chronic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation. The study population originates from the KORA population-based cross-sectional prospective cohort. 400 participants without known cardiovascular disease underwent a whole-body MRI. Manual segmentation of adrenal glands was performed on VIBE-Dixon gradient-echo sequence. MRI based evaluation of cardiac parameters was achieved semi-automatically. Cardiometabolic risk factors were obtained through standardized interviews and medical examination. Univariate and multivariate associations were derived. Bi-directional causal mediation analysis was performed. 351 participants were eligible for analysis (56 ± 9.1 years, male 58.7%). In multivariate analysis, significant associations were observed between adrenal gland volume and hypertension (outcome hypertension: Odds Ratio = 1.11, 95% CI [1.01, 1.21], p = 0.028), left ventricular remodelling index (LVRI) (outcome LVRI: β = 0.01, 95% CI [0.00, 0.02], p = 0.011), and left ventricular (LV) wall thickness (outcome LV wall thickness: β = 0.06, 95% CI [0.02, 0.09], p = 0.005). In bi-directional causal mediation analysis adrenal gland volume had a borderline significant mediating effect on the association between hypertension and LVRI (p = 0.052) as well as wall thickness (p = 0.054). MRI-based assessment of adrenal gland enlargement is associated with hypertension and LV remodelling. Adrenal gland volume may serve as an indirect cardiovascular imaging biomarker.