Most patients with corticotropin-independent Cushing's syndrome have an adrenal adenoma or carcinoma,¹ but a few have bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. Three patients with Cushing's syndrome and corticotropin-independent bilateral adrenal hyperplasia²–⁴ and two patients with adrenal adenomas⁵,⁶ in whom food stimulated cortisol secretion have been described; the abnormal adrenal tissues in these patients aberrantly overexpressed receptors for gastric inhibitory polypeptide.⁶,⁷ We describe a patient with Cushing's syndrome and corticotropin-independent bilateral adrenal hyperplasia in whom endogenous catecholamines, acting through an ectopic adrenal β-adrenergic receptor, stimulated cortisol secretion; the hyperadrenocorticism was inhibited by β-blockade.

Case Report

A 56-year-old man presented with . . .