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Persistent symptoms during corticosteroid tapering should prompt evaluation for an internal source of excess cortisol — usually from the adrenal glands above the kidneys — because exogenous steroid use can mask signs of Cushing’s syndrome that the body is producing on its own. That’s what happened in the case…

Effective treatment, either surgical or using medications, significantly eased anxiety and depression, and improved quality of life, in some people with Cushing’s syndrome, according to the findings of a new U.S. study. However, when looking at treatment type, only patients who underwent surgery to remove tumors showed a statistically significant…

A woman with Cushing’s disease developed overlapping heart symptoms, a case researchers said highlights the need for early diagnosis and coordination between cardiologists and endocrinologists. The woman had cortisol-induced heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, meaning her heart pumped normally but was too stiff to fill properly. The heart…

Fluconazole – a treatment for fungal infections – effectively reduced cortisol levels in people with Cushing’s syndrome, without causing significant liver damage, a study in Taiwan showed. According to researchers, these results suggest that fluconazole “may be an effective and safe option for managing” high cortisol levels in people…

The case of a young adolescent boy illustrates that doctors should carefully taper corticosteroids and regularly monitor hormones in children with autoimmune Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH) to prevent Cushing’s syndrome and other serious complications, according to a study. “Many pediatric patients with VKH and steroid-related complications are managed not only…

A malignant tumor of the thymus, a small organ in the upper chest that plays a critical role in the immune system, was identified as the cause of Cushing’s syndrome in a 43-year-old man, according to a recent U.K. case report. After surgery to remove the thymus, the condition was…

Researchers have identified ceritinib, a cancer medication, as a promising treatment candidate for Cushing’s disease after successfully using miniature, lab-grown pituitary tumors, known as organoids, to test its effectiveness. Ceritinib, marketed as Zykadia to treat certain lung cancers, effectively inhibited tumor growth and reduced the tumor-driven excess of adrenocorticotropic…

A woman in the U.K. with Cushing’s disease was successfully treated with Isturisa (osilodrostat), which helped lower her cortisol levels to normal and later allowed doctors to clearly identify her pituitary tumor on an MRI scan for surgical removal. If validated, “this approach could refine surgical planning and…

A diagnostic test using desmopressin, an artificial form of a naturally occurring hormone, successfully detected a residual pituitary tumor after surgery to treat a woman with cyclic Cushing’s disease when standard tests failed, a case study reports. The researchers noted that the very nature of cyclic Cushing’s disease —…

Researchers have developed an online tool — called CuPeR — that can accurately predict the persistence or recurrence of Cushing’s disease following surgery to remove the disease-causing pituitary tumor, a study reports. From patient data, four clinical factors were identified as predictors of postoperative outcomes: tumor site, prior…