Cushing syndrome

Cushing syndrome, also known as hypercortisolism is a rare illness that occurs when the body produces too much cortisol. It may also be caused by an excessive amount of glucocorticoids in the body due to long-term steroid usage.

  • Rapid weight growth in the chest, back of the neck, abdomen, and face (also known as "moon face" or "buffalo hump")
  • Round, red face
  • Wounds that don't heal well
  • Hypertension
  • Excessive hair growth, including baldness, on the head, neck, chest, belly, breasts, and thighs
  • Diabetes
  • Purple-colored abdominal stretch marks
  • Arms and legs can easily bleed
  • A generalized feeling of exhaustion and weakness
  • Dizziness and blurred vision
  • Slender arms and legs and weak muscles
  • Libido changes (sex drive) and erectile dysfunction
  • Stunted growth in children

Diagnosis

24-hour urinary cortisol test, Midnight salivary cortisol test, Low-dose dexamethasone suppression test, ACTH levels in your blood, and High-dose dexamethasone suppression test, are the tests to confirm Cushing’s syndrome. Once it is confirmed, CT scan or MRI abdomen, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pituitary, Bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (BIPPS), and CT chest may be helpful for further examination.

Treatment

The type of therapy is determined by the underlying cause of the elevated cortisol levels. If patients use glucocorticoids, the doctor will most likely reduce the dosage or give a non-glucocorticoid prescription.

If a tumor is the source of the Cushing syndrome, the doctor may recommend surgery or radiotherapy.

Another alternative is to give a drug that reduces cortisol production, such as ketoconazole. To treat the tumor and Cushing syndrome symptoms, you may need to consult with multiple healthcare experts.

Other therapies like chemotherapy or radiation may be taken into account in cases when pituitary surgery is not possible, is refused, or has failed.