Cushing's syndrome: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

Cushing's syndrome appears in case of an increase in the level of glucocorticoids in the adrenal cortex. This disease is most often found in women. The most common cause of the disease is increased production of the pituitary ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), which affects the activity of the adrenal cortex and leads to an increase in the level of hormones. Often the intensive release of adrenocorticotropic hormone is provoked by a pituitary tumor, and in some cases by a tumor of other organs. The disease can develop with the administration of large doses of steroid preparations containing cortisone, or agents that contain ACTH (often used to reduce immune activity during organ transplantation).

Cushing's Syndrome: Symptoms

General health and sex affect the symptoms of this disease. Common symptoms of this disease are:

• Fast weight gain. Increased fat deposits on the face and especially in the upper back;
• Stria (stretch marks) on the abdomen, chest, arms and thighs;
• The appearance of bruising, thinning of the skin;
• Poorly healing wounds;
• A protracted process of recovery after acute infectious diseases;
• Weakness, fatigue;
• Anxiety, insomnia;
• Excessive emotionality;
• headache;
• Decreased memory and mental abilities;
• In women, the menstrual cycle is delayed;
• Intolerance to glucose, which leads to diabetes mellitus;
• hypertension.

Cushing's syndrome: diagnosis

Preliminary diagnosis can be made on the basis of signs characteristic of this disease. For a reliable diagnosis, more thorough research is needed, with the help of which the causes that cause Cushing's syndrome will be revealed. To do this, it is necessary to conduct urine analysis and determine the level of cortisone. Further research suggests testing the patient with dexamethanosone test, in which the patient consumes 2 grams. Dexamethasone, and after 9 hours a cortisone level in the plasma is measured.

To determine the causes that could cause Cushing's syndrome, the level of ACTH is measured. So, the raised level of a hormone can speak about dysfunction of adrenals, and very high - about hypophysial disturbances.

Cushing's syndrome: treatment

The most common and effective treatment for this syndrome is selective transsphenoidal adenomectomy. If the studies were able to determine the exact location of the tumor of the pituitary gland, neurosurgical intervention is performed. This method can not be used if the patient has an extremely serious form of the disease or has somatic pathologies.

Another method of treatment is the destruction of the adrenal glands. Through the introduction of sclerosing drugs, it is possible to get rid of hyperplastic substance. The procedure is performed using ultrasound and CT methods.

There is also a way to treat Cushing's syndrome, like proton therapy. This method is used if there are no reliable methods for tumor of the pituitary gland. It is also possible to treat this pathology medically. In this case, funds are used that suppress the production of ACTH. Symptomatic therapy aimed at treating neuroses, diabetes, and osteoporosis is also performed. In some cases, the radiation therapy method may be used. Cushing's syndrome involves taking sedatives , bisphosphonates, vitamins and other medications. The disease is quite easy to treat and with the onset of therapy the symptoms gradually disappear.