Steve Bryson, PhD, science writer —

A 75-year-old woman with Cushing’s disease who was first seen with marked weight loss and low blood levels of potassium, or hypokalemia, was described by researchers as an unusual example of the condition, one otherwise resembling ectopic Cushing’s syndrome. “This case highlights the need to entertain a broad differential…

High levels of cortisol in the bloodstream of people with Cushing’s syndrome were directly linked to significant metabolic abnormalities leading to the buildup of fat deposits in the liver, according to a new study from researchers in China. The researchers noted that liver fat accumulation increases a person’s risk of…

A diagnostic test using desmopressin, an artificial form of a naturally occurring hormone, can help to accurately identify people with Cushing’s disease, a study reports. Easier than the current gold standard for diagnosing this disease, the desmopressin stimulation test might “reduc[e] the reliance on invasive procedures and provid[e] a…

People often do not recognize the typical symptoms and features of Cushing’s syndrome, regardless of their severity, which contributes to a delay in diagnosis, a study found. Moreover, there was a discrepancy between the number of symptoms reported by individuals with Cushing’s and those assessed by clinicians — with…

Lundbeck has launched a Phase 2 clinical trial to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of Lu AG13909, a potential first-in-class treatment for Cushing’s disease. “We are pleased to advance this new approach to potentially treating unmet needs in Cushing’s disease, a condition that, when uncontrolled, is debilitating…

Blood levels of cortisol or adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) measured one day after pituitary tumor removal surgery independently predicted Cushing’s disease remission after one year, according to a real-world study. Post-surgical remission rates were higher among adults after a first surgery compared with those seen for patients who underwent a second…

About 80% of people with recurrent Cushing’s disease who underwent a second surgery to remove tumors from the brain’s pituitary gland achieved remission, according to a real-world study. These findings show that repeat surgery “emerges as a reliable and safe treatment modality for residual or recurrent Cushing’s disease, offering…

People with Cushing’s syndrome, marked by high levels of cortisol, had altered red blood cell profiles at diagnosis, according to a study of nearly 400 patients and 2,000 matched controls. Among those with Cushing’s disease, a subtype of the syndrome, remission was more likely to occur in people with…

Metformin, a medicine used mostly to treat type 2 diabetes, eased the signs of Cushing’s disease in cells and in a mouse model, a study showed. “These findings suggest metformin as a potential drug for the treatment of Cushing’s disease,” researchers wrote in the study, “Metformin…

A woman with Cushing’s syndrome developed an ulcer that caused a gastrointestinal perforation, or a hole in the digestive tract, according to a case study. Because she had no established risk factors for such a complication, researchers suggested prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol, or hypercortisolism, may have contributed…