News

Mutations in the GNAS gene might indicate patients with subclinical Cushing’s syndrome — mild cortisol elevation without physical signs of Cushing’s — whose disease is caused by distinct mechanisms of other Cushing’s syndrome patients. Screening for GNAS gene mutations may help diagnose patients with this type of Cushing’s syndrome and improve their outcomes,…

Cushing’s syndrome patients who undergo adrenal surgery are more likely to have venous thromboembolism — blood clots that originate in the veins — than patients who have the same procedure for other conditions, a study suggests. Physicians should consider preventive treatment for this complication in Cushing’s syndrome patients who are…

A study reports that intravenous infusion with etomidate can stabilize dangerously high cortisol in Cushing’s syndrome patients experiencing episodes of cortisol excess. The study, “Continuous Etomidate Infusion for the Management of Severe Cushing Syndrome: Validation of a Standard Protocol,” was published in Journal of the Endocrine Society. Cushing’s…

Scores of events are afoot worldwide to mark Feb. 28, Rare Disease Day 2019. The activities aim to raise awareness about rare diseases and the millions of people — estimates run as high as 350 million — they are thought to impact. Across countries, patients, caregivers and advocates will paint faces, wear…

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy — a minimally invasive procedure that removes the adrenal glands through a tiny hole in the abdomen — can be safely performed in obese patients with Cushing’s syndrome, a retrospective study reports. The surgery resolved symptoms in 95% of cases, reducing cortisol levels, lowering blood pressure, and leading to…

Ocular hypertension — increased blood pressure inside the eye — might be a secondary symptom of Cushing’s disease, caused by long-term exposure to high cortisol levels, a case report shows. The study, “Ocular hypertension secondary to high endogenous steroid load in Cushing’s disease,” was published in BMJ…

Optical imaging that measures water content and blood volume in the cheek might be an efficient and non-invasive method to assess short- and long-term remission in people with Cushing’s disease, according to a study. The study, “Optical Imaging Technology: A Useful Tool to Identify Remission in Cushing Disease…

A shorter duration of adrenal insufficiency — when the adrenal gland is not working properly — after surgical removal of a pituitary tumor may predict recurrence in Cushing’s disease patients, a new study suggests. The study, “Recovery of the adrenal function after pituitary surgery in patients with Cushing Disease:…

Tumors located outside the pituitary gland that produce the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) may cause, on rare occasions, cyclic Cushing’s syndrome — when cortisol levels show substantial fluctuations over time. That finding, based on the case of a patient with ACTH-secreting lung cancer,  is found in the study, “Cyclic Cushing’s syndrome caused…

Signifor (pasireotide) — a treatment approved for Cushing’s disease patients who are not cured by surgery — reduces the growth of pituitary tumor cells by lowering the amount of activated ERK1/2 proteins, a study finds. The treatment also induces programmed cell death, the scientists discovered. The study, “…