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A Moroccan woman with Cushing’s syndrome caused by prolonged exposure to glucocorticoids was unexpectedly found to also have Cushing’s disease, the form driven by a tumor in the brain’s pituitary gland, a case report shows. After stopping treatment with glucocorticoids, also commonly called corticosteroids or steroids, her cortisol levels…

Improvements in quality of life after successful surgery for Cushing’s disease vary widely, with many patients continuing to struggle physically and emotionally in the months following treatment despite normalization of cortisol levels, a new study has found. “Our results highlight the need to educate and support patients before and…

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has granted orphan drug designation to Lundbeck’s asedebart, an investigational therapy for Cushing’s disease and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), two conditions characterized by excessive production of adrenocorticotropic hormone. This regulatory status is intended to support the development of medicines for serious rare…

A father and daughter who carried the same genetic variant both developed Cushing’s disease, according to a recent report. Both underwent pituitary surgery through the nose, called an endoscopic endonasal approach, followed by glucocorticoid replacement therapy, and both remain in biochemical remission. Researchers still do not know whether the…

Abnormal protein levels in the blood that develop during Cushing’s disease may somewhat, but not entirely, normalize when disease activity resolves, a new study reports. These “distinct [blood] protein profiles” could potentially indicate an “increased risk for thrombosis [formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel] and metabolic…

A rare lung neuroendocrine tumor was linked to both Cushing syndrome and acromegaly, a disorder marked by enlarged hands and feet, in a 43-year-old woman in India, according to a case report. The tumor produced adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which led to Cushing syndrome. Findings also suggested growth hormone-releasing…

Even after people with Cushing’s syndrome achieve remission, the inflammatory activity of certain immune cells is increased, according to a new study. The findings may help to explain data suggesting that Cushing’s patients in remission are at higher risk of certain autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, researchers said. The study, “Increased…

Pregnant women with Cushing’s syndrome and uncontrolled high levels of cortisol, a naturally occurring steroid hormone, may have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes, and their babies are more likely to be born early. That’s according to the findings of a systematic review and meta-analysis of…

Fractures of the vertebrae (spinal bones) can occur early in the course of Cushing’s disease, according to an examination of chest X-rays of newly diagnosed patients. Men and those with high morning levels of blood cortisol were more likely to have vertebral fractures, and were also more likely to…

An 80-year-old man with Cushing’s disease developed prolonged adrenal insufficiency, or low cortisol levels, after years of treatment with the cortisol-lowering medication metyrapone, a case study reports. The patient was initially suspected of having ectopic Cushing’s — in which tumors are found in the adrenal glands atop the kidneys…