Steve Bryson, PhD,  science writer—

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…

More boys were diagnosed with Cushing’s disease before puberty than were girls, according to an examination of medical records of children and adolescent patients across Turkey. These findings contrast with observations made in adults, in whom women are diagnosed with Cushing’s far more often than men. The researchers noted,…

Dexamethasone suppression did not improve the detection of pituitary tumors via the use of PET, or positron emission tomography, scans in adults with Cushing’s disease, a new study has found. In most cases, using imaging tests to determine tumor location before pituitary surgery — the first-line treatment for Cushing’s…

A man with Cushing’s syndrome developed a rare Mycobacterium szulgai skin infection after cleaning his tropical fish tank, a study in China reported. This mycobacterium is typically found in environmental water sources, including hospital taps, ice machines, fish tanks, and swimming pools, and most reported cases of infection in humans…

Double pituitary adenomas — noncancerous tumors that cause Cushing’s disease — were detected in up to 13% of patients having tumor removal surgery at a hospital in Ukraine, a study reports. While MRI scans detected some of the additional tumors, others were discovered by a comprehensive inspection of the…

Low-grade inflammation persisted in people with Cushing’s syndrome one year after surgery to remove disease-causing tumors that led to excess cortisol, the hallmark of the condition, a recent study revealed. High levels of inflammatory markers were associated significantly with post-surgical obesity, high blood sugar levels, and worse long-term muscle function,…