Pseudo-Cushing's syndrome
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| Pseudo-Cushing's syndrome | |
| ICD-10 | E24.3 |
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Pseudo Cushing's syndrome Microchapters |
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Differentiating Pseudo Cushing's syndrome from other Diseases |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Case Studies |
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Pseudo-Cushing's syndrome On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Pseudo-Cushing's syndrome |
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Pseudo-Cushing's syndrome |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Pseudo-Cushing's syndrome is a medical condition in which patients display the signs, symptoms, and abnormal hormone levels seen in Cushing's syndrome. Pseudo-Cushing's syndrome, however, is not caused by a problem with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as Cushing's is. It is an idiopathic condition.
Investigations
- Levels of cortisol and ACTH are both high
- 24-hour urinary cortisol levels are high
- Dexamethasone suppression test fails to suppress serum cortisol
- Loss of diurnal variation in cortisol levels- Loss of Diurnal Variation is seen only in true Cushing's Syndrome or Disease.
- High mean corpuscular volume and gamma-glutamyl transferase may be clues to alcoholism
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome should be ruled out, since PCOS has similar symptoms.
Prognosis
- Blood results and symptoms normalise rapidly on cessation of drinking or remission of depression