Differences in Body Composition in Patients With Pheochromocytomas and Age-Matched and Sex-Matched Nonfunctioning Adrenal Tumors: A Matched Cohort Study
Authors' conclusion
Patients with PPGLs exhibit a distinct body composition profile characterized by preserved muscle mass and reduced adipose tissue compartments. Despite these marked differences, body composition parameters were not independently associated with metabolic comorbidities in PPGLs, suggesting that catecholamine excess may play a predominant role in metabolic dysfunction beyond adipose tissue distribution alone.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with histologically confirmed pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) and age-matched and sex-matched patients with nonfunctioning adrenal tumors (NFATs); contrast-enhanced CT at diagnosis analysed with semiautomated 2D and 3D body composition softwarematched cohort
- Participants
- 44 vs 88
- Exposure
- PPGLs vs age-matched and sex-matched NFATs
- PPGLsn = 44
- NFATsn = 88reference
- Outcome
- Body composition differences between PPGLs and NFATs
- Follow-up
- At diagnosis
Methodological detailsage-matched and sex-matched
- Age-matched and sex-matched
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Body composition (2D and 3D CT analyses)
- Muscle mass %, lean mass % and muscle density significantly higher in PPGLs vs NFATs, 2D and 3D
- P < .05
- Intramuscular adipose tissue area and index lower, with increased density, in PPGLs (2D)
- P < .01
- Intramuscular adipose tissue volume and mass reduced and density increased in PPGLs (3D)
- P < .05
- Muscle quality slightly but significantly better in PPGLs
- P < .01
- Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue area, volume and mass significantly lower in PPGLs, 2D and 3D
- P < .05
- Visceral adipose tissue density significantly higher in PPGLs (2D and 3D, respectively)
- P < .01 and P < .001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Association of body composition with metabolic comorbidities (multivariate, adjusted for age, sex, hormone secretion, alcohol, tobacco, BMI)
- PPGLs: subcutaneous adipose tissue independently associated with hypertension
- NFATs: several muscle- and adipose tissue-related parameters independently associated with hypertension and impaired glucose metabolism
Original publication
Differences in Body Composition in Patients With Pheochromocytomas and Age-Matched and Sex-Matched Nonfunctioning Adrenal Tumors: A Matched Cohort Study. Endocr Pract. Published 11 August 2026. doi:10.
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