Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

Surgery to remove adrenal tumors without taking the entire adrenal gland — given to Cushing’s syndrome patients to lower cortisol levels — associated with better outcomes than surgeries that remove all of the adrenal gland, a study reports. Benefits included a shorter period of dependency on corticorteroids after surgery and…

An 81-year-old woman being treated for a severe and persistent electrolyte imbalance was found to have a tumor in her lung which eventually led to her diagnosis of ectopic Cushing’s syndrome, according to a case report. Electrolytes are minerals in body fluids that carry an electric charge and are vital…

Radiation therapy, which is often used when surgery fails to completely remove a pituitary tumor, led to the development of a secondary and aggressive tumor in a woman with Cushing’s disease. “Our case highlights a rare but devastating long-term complication of pituitary tumor irradiation after Cushing disease. The…

Patients with persistent Cushing’s disease may benefit from combining Signifor (pasireotide) with cabergoline, according to the findings of a Phase 2 clinical trial. The results suggest the combo therapy “could be an effective long-term strategy for enhancing the control of CD [Cushing’s disease]” in patients who fail to respond or…

A 31-year-old woman exhibited unusual symptoms of Cushing’s disease following childbirth, but didn’t show some of the disease’s hallmark features, such as weight gain and fat accumulation. The woman’s atypical symptoms, which included psychosis and severe muscle weakness, were accompanied by a challenging clinical course that led ultimately…

Etomidate helped normalize dangerously high cortisol levels in a woman with Cushing’s syndrome who had an adrenal gland tumor before she having surgery to remove it, a recent case report shows. “In its severe form, Cushing’s syndrome is a medical emergency that must be rapidly controlled. Etomidate is both safe…

A newborn girl with a rare genetic disorder called McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) developed Cushing’s syndrome, according to researchers in Turkey. While Cushing’s syndrome in the context of MAS is linked to a poor prognosis, no specific guidelines exist for diagnosing and treating these rare cases. The newborn’s condition improved following…

Cabergoline, which is often used as an off-label therapy for recurrent or persistent Cushing’s disease, is not associated with a high risk for impulse control disorders(ICDs), a concern raised about this kind of medication. These are the findings of a small study in Turkey that suggests cabergoline “still holds…

A 52-year-old man developed Cushing’s syndrome after taking Artri King, adding to the list of reports that link the supplement to developing the condition. The man had been taking Artri King for his arthritis for 1.5 years, but abruptly stopped after having Cushing’s-like symptoms. His abrupt cessation is…

A 40-year-old woman developed exogenous, or therapy-related, Cushing’s syndrome, after taking an over-the-counter supplement called Artri King that contained undisclosed glucocorticoids, a case study reports. The woman’s symptoms eased after she stopped taking the supplement, but this is the third study to report an association between products like Artri King…