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Screening for Cushing’s Syndrome in Obese Patients

2010; Elsevier BV; Volume: 65; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1590/s1807-59322010000100003

1980-5322

Özay Tiryakioğlu, Serdal Uğurlu, Serap Yalın, Sibel Yirmibeşçik, Erkan Çağlar, Demet Özgil Yetkin, Pınar Kadioğlu,

Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors

The aim of this study was to examine the frequency of Cushing's syndrome (CS) in obese patients devoid of specific clinical symptoms of Cushing's syndrome. A total of 150 obese patients (129 female, 21 male; mean age 44.41 ± 13.34 yr; mean BMI 35.76 ± 7.13) were included in the study. As a first screening step, we measured 24-h urinary free cortisol (UFC). An overnight 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test was also performed on all patients. Urinary free cortisol levels above 100 μg/24 h were considered to be abnormal. Suppression of serum cortisol 100 μg/24 h) were recorded in 37 patients (24%). Cushing's syndrome was diagnosed in 14 of the 150 patients (9.33%). Etiologic reasons for Cushing's syndrome were pituitary microadenoma (9 patients), adrenocortical adenoma (3 patients), and adrenocortical carcinoma (1 patient). A significant proportion (9.33%) of patients with simple obesity were found to have Cushing's syndrome. These findings argue that obese patients should be routinely screened for Cushing's syndrome.