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A new U.S. initiative called Rare Disease Cures Accelerator–Data and Analytics Platform — dubbed RDCA–DAP — aims to accelerate treatment innovation across rare diseases by sharing existing patient data and promoting the standardization of new data collection. Launched during a virtual workshop in September, the U.S. Food and Drug…

A 43-year-old woman developed Cushing’s syndrome due to bilateral adrenal adenomas, or a tumor on each of her two adrenal glands, according to a recent case report. “Although Cushing’s syndrome due to bilateral adrenal adenoma is rare, it should be considered in mid-aged females with typical symptoms,” researchers wrote. The…

A woman developed Cushing’s disease years after she had received successful treatment for Cushing’s syndrome, as described in a recent case report. “Our case illustrates that both [forms of Cushing’s] may develop in a single individual even without evidence for a common genetic background,” its authors wrote. The study,…

Football and science seem to be disparate fields of play at first glance, but the nonprofit Uplifting Athletes is finding common ground by leveraging the popularity of college gridiron games to fund research for rare diseases. Its nearly two dozen chapters — representing college football teams across the nation…

A newly launched non-profit institute is seeking to advance research, and the development of new therapies, for people with rare diseases — a patient community with some of the largest therapeutic needs, but one that is often left behind. Named the Institute for Life Changing Medicines, the project was…

Treatment with the blood thinner enoxaparin within a few hours after curative pituitary surgery may help reduce the risk of blood clots forming in people with Cushing’s disease, a new study suggests. The study “Venous thromboembolic (VTE) prophylaxis in Cushing disease patients undergoing transsphenoidal surgery” was published in…

A newly discovered mutation in a gene called USP8 may contribute to the development of pituitary tumors, which are the underlying cause Cushing’s disease, researchers reported, describing the mutation. Their work also linked tumors with mutations to more aggressive disease than those without mutations. The study, “Genetic…

Participation in clinical trials exposes rare disease patients to financial, physical, and emotional pressures, according to the results of a patient focus group series. “Rare disease trial participants are running an endurance race they are highly motivated to complete, but these incremental burdens negatively impact their ability or willingness to…

A two-surgeon approach to bilateral adrenalectomy — the surgical removal of both adrenal glands — may lead to fewer complications and shorter operating time in patients with ectopic Cushing’s syndrome, compared with other surgical approaches. That finding from a small study, “Adrenalectomy in ectopic Cushing’s syndrome: a retrospective cohort study…

Cushing’s disease may occur secondary to a large pituitary tumor and, in rare cases, cause potassium levels in the blood to be persistently low, a recent case report highlighted. According to its authors, this case serves as a reminder that doctors should suspect Cushing’s when potassium levels remain low…