POMC and metabolic syndrome: Analyses of hair cortisol in combination with hair cortisone have also been undertaken in other endocrine conditions associated with irregular cortisol levels such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), the metabolic syndrome (MetS) (16), and in cortisol autonomy [adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-independent cortisol overproduction] in adrenal incidentalomas (17).