Visceral adiposity index and metabolic profile in adult patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: hydrocortisone versus prednisone treatment.

Background: Patients with Congenital Adrenal Hypeplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency need a life-long therapy with glucocorticoids (GCs) and tend to have a cluster of metabolic risk factors, which are consistent with metabolic syndrome (MS). Most frequently used GCs are Hydrocortisone (HC) and Prednisone (P), different for both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokynetic characteristics. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of HC and P on VAI, a new indicator of visceral fat function, and on metabolic profile in CAH patients long term treated with GC. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two patients (22 F, 10 M, 18-46 yrs), among which 16 (11 F, 5 M) treated with HC (dose 10-45…