Cushing’s Syndrome
Cushing’s syndrome refers to a hormonal disorder caused due to the presence of high levels of cortisol in the blood. This might be caused due to intake of glucocorticoid drugs, or due to tumors, which generate cortisol or adrenocorticotropic hormone. The syndrome refers to a single specific reason, a non-cancerous tumor of the pituitary gland, which produces large quantities of adrenocorticotropic hormone, which in turn raises up cortisol. It can generally be cured by way of surgery.
An important aspect of this syndrome is that it is not confined only to humans, but can also be commonly found in case of domestic dogs as well as horses. The condition was explained by Dr. Harvey Cushing in the year 1932.
Symptoms of the syndrome consist of rapid weight gain, especially in the trunk as well as the face, except the limbs. A very usual sign is the escalation of fat pads alongside the collar bone as well as on the back of neck. The patients in such a conditions also feature a round face. Apart from that thinning of the skin, excess sweating and telangiectasia, are other major characteristics in such a condition. thinning of the skin causes dryness and easy bruising especially in the hands.
Thinning of other mucous membranes, red or purple striae on the trunk, breasts, arms, buttocks or legs, proximal muscle weakness as well as hirsutism are important features, which may show in such a condition. The excess level of cortisol might also affect the other endocrine systems and result in conditions like reduced libido, impotence, insomnia, amenorrhoea as well as infertility. Patients often suffer from several psychological disturbances, which may range from euphoria to psychosis.
Along with that, anxiety and depression are also common.
Cushing’s syndrome might present with distressing and striking skin changes, which includes, hyperhidrosis, fragility of the skin, dryness, facial acne, as well as vulnerability to superficial dermatophyte or pityrosporon infections, along with a plethora over the anterior neck, cheeks, apart from characteristic purple, atrophic striae of the abdomen.
As it is, most cases of Cushing’s syndrome are caused due to steroid medications. Subsequently most patients are properly treated by way of carefully tapering off the medication, which that cause the symptoms.
In case an adrenal adenoma has been identified it might be removed by way of surgery. An adrenocorticotropic hormone secreting corticotrophic pituitary adenoma must be removed after the diagnosis. Irrespective of the location of the adenoma, most patients would require steroid substitution postoperatively in the interim as a long-term repression of pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone.