Cushing's Syndrome (Print Version)

Also called: Also called: Hypercortisolism

Cushings syndrome is caused by long-term exposure to too much cortisol, a hormone that your adrenal gland makes. Sometimes, taking synthetic hormone medicine to treat an inflammatory disease leads to Cushing's. Some kinds of tumors secrete a hormone that can cause your body to make too much cortisol.

Cushing's syndrome is rare. Some symptoms are

Upper body obesity
Thin arms and legs
Severe fatigue and muscle weakness
High blood pressure
High blood sugar
Easy bruising

Your treatment will depend on why you have too much cortisol. If it is because you have been taking synthetic hormones, a lower dose may control your symptoms. If a tumor caused it, surgery and other therapies may be needed. Most of the time, Cushing's syndrome can be cured.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Start Here

Cushing's Syndrome(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/cushings/cushings.htm
Cushing's Syndrome and Cushing's Disease(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/hormone/623.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/hormone/623.printerview.html

Overviews

Cushing's Syndrome(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/cushingssyndrome.cfm
Cushing's Syndrome(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cushings/cushings.htm
Cushing's Syndrome(Pituitary Network Association) - http://www.pituitary.org/news/Articles/CushingsFactSheet.php

Diagnosis/Symptoms

ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone) Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/acth/test.html
Cortisol Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cortisol/test.html
Diagnostic Testing for Cushing’s Syndrome(Cushing's Support and Research Foundation) - http://csrf.net/Testing.htm

Treatment

Frequently Asked Questions about Transsphenoidal Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas - A Patient Guide(Pituitary Network Association) - http://www.pituitary.org/disorders/frequently_asked_questions_about_transsphenoidal_surgery_for_pituitary_adenomas_a_patient_guide.aspx
Gamma-knife Radiosurgery(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/gamma-knife-radiosurgery/MY00206/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all

Nutrition

Nutrition for Patients with Cushing Syndrome(National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center) - Links to PDF - http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/patient_education/pepubs/nutrcush.pdf

Anatomy/Physiology

Endocrine System(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body_basics/endocrine.html

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Cushing Syndrome(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Cushing+Syndrome%22

Journal Articles

References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Article: The response of corticotropin and adrenal steroids to desmopressin stimulation... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18694863&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: How depression may increase cardiac risk: effect of hypercortisolism on... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18600034&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Homocysteine, renin and aldosterone in patients with Cushing's syndrome. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18597007&tool=MedlinePlus
Cushing's Syndrome -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=cushing+syndrome[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus

Dictionaries/Glossaries

Glossary of Terms: Cushing's(Cushing's Support and Research Foundation) - http://csrf.net/Glossary.htm
Pituitary Network Association Glossary(Pituitary Network Association) - http://www.pituitary.org/glossary/

Directories

AACE Physician Finder(American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists) - http://www.aace.com/resources/memsearch.php
Cushing's Doctors(Cushing's Support and Research Foundation) - http://csrf.net/ContactDoctors.htm
Find an Endocrinologist(Hormone Foundation) - http://www.hormone.org/findanendo/

Organizations

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/

Children

Pediatric Cushing’s(Cushing's Support and Research Foundation) - http://csrf.net/AboutCushings_Pedriatic.htm

You may also be interested in these MedlinePlus related pages:

Adrenal Gland Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/adrenalglanddisorders.html
Endocrine System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endocrinesystem.html

The primary NIH organization for research on Cushing's Syndrome is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/