Pneumocystis pneumonia, a serious infectious complication of Cushing’s syndrome, is associated with a high mortality rate, researchers in France report. The onset of infection tends to occur shortly after beginning therapy to reduce cortisol levels, and is more frequent in patients with cancer-related Cushing’s and/or high levels of cortisol.
A 71-year-old woman with ectopic Cushing’s syndrome saw her clinical symptoms ease after undergoing surgery to remove several nodules from her left lung. One nodule removed was a carcinoid tumor producing adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), while another was due to a lung infection caused by the fungus Cryptococcus. Her infection was associated with immunodeficiency…
Isturisa (osilodrostat) led to sustained reductions in cortisol levels in people with Cushing’s disease over nearly seven years of treatment in an extension phase of the Phase 2 LINC-2 trial. Cardiovascular symptoms were also well controlled throughout the study and no new safety signals were detected. “These data…
Ketoconazole can effectively control high cortisol levels in most patients with active Cushing’s disease for whom surgery is not an effective option, researchers in Brazil report. It “proved to be an effective and safe alternative for [Cushing’s disease] treatment” for 66% of patients at an outpatient clinic of a…
High levels of dietary zinc induced signs of Cushing’s syndrome in a postmenopausal mouse model, a study suggested. Weight gain, obesity, and diabetes were also seen in postmenopausal mice fed a high-zinc diet. Tests in postmenopausal women were consistent with these findings, with higher blood zinc levels correlating with…
A 71-year-old man diagnosed with ectopic Cushing’s syndrome was cured of the rare disorder after having both adrenal glands subjected to microwave ablation — a minimally-invasive procedure that uses electromagnetic energy to generate heat and destroy a small portion of tissue. The procedure immediately worked to lower the man’s elevated…
11oxC19 steroids, which are part of the androgen family of male sex hormones, are the primary drivers of hyperandrogenemia in women with Cushing’s disease, a study has found. Hyperandrogenemia, or high levels of androgens, in women with Cushing’s can lead to menstrual problems, acne, excessive body hair, and temporary…
Adrenal gland removal was key to controlling high cortisol levels and improving the quality of life of a 33-year-old male patient with Cushing’s disease and recurrent bone fractures. Researchers stressed that “when osteoporotic fractures occur at a young age, it is important to exclude secondary causes, such as Cushing’s…
The first participant has been dosed in a Phase 2 clinical trial testing SPI-62 as a treatment for people with ACTH-dependent forms of Cushing’s syndrome, including Cushing’s disease. That’s according to developer Sparrow Pharmaceuticals, which is evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the oral therapy. “Dosing our first…
Prolonged use of glucocorticoids to reduce inflammation triggered by facial dermal filler procedures likely caused Cushing’s syndrome in a 45-year-old woman, a case report describes. Long-term use of glucocorticoids should be avoided in such cases in favor of alternative treatments, its author noted. The report, “Case…
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