Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
2007-7-20
pubmed:abstractText
A 66-year-old woman had massive bilateral adrenal macronodular hyperplasia, found incidentally on an abdominal ultrasonogram. Her plasma ACTH and serum cortisol levels were normal, but they were not suppressed by low-dose dexamethasone. The patient did not exhibit any typical signs or symptoms of Cushing's disease. MRI showed no evidence of a tumor in the pituitary gland. A diagnosis of preclinical Cushing's disease was made, and she was treated with 11-hydroxylase inhibitor metyrapone. As the dose of metyrapone was increased, plasma ACTH levels gradually increased. After three years of treatment, she developed moon-face. Her plasma ACTH and serum cortisol concentrations were at their highest levels. A pituitary microadenoma was detected by MRI, whose source of ACTH was demonstrated by the definite step-up of central/peripheral ratio of ACTH obtained by cavernous sinus sampling. Overt Cushing's disease was diagnosed, and a pituitary tumor was removed by transsphenoidal surgery. In conclusion, the clinically and endocrinologically overt Cushing's disease characterized by macronodular adrenal hyperplasia was converted from a preclinical form. This case offers some insight into the clinical and biological features of preclinical Cushing's disease.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
0918-8959
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
54
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
391-7
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2007
pubmed:articleTitle
Preclinical Cushing's disease characterized by massive adrenal hyperplasia and hormonal changes after three years of metyrapone therapy.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Endocrinology, Tokyo, Japan.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Case Reports