Karolina Krikščiūnaitė¹, Viktorija Mačiulytė¹, Natalija Markevičiūtė¹

¹Liethuanina University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania

Abstract

Cushing’s syndrome is a severe condition caused by a long – term increased concentration of cortisol in the blood flow and which causes a variety of concomitant diseases. Effective treatment is necessary in order to diminish mortality, risk of comorbidity complications and improve a long-term quality of life. The most effective first – line treatment on purpose to reduce the concentration of cortisol in blood flow is surgery of the causal infringement. Additional treatment for the symptoms of comorbidities is usually needed during the active stage of the disease and for the persistent comorbidities as well. Second – line treatment involves various agents of pharmacotherapy, bilateral adrenalectomy and radiotherapy. We will review causality, diagnostics and treatment of Cushing‘s syndrome in the article.

Aim: analyze and evaluate the latest information involving Cushing’s syndrome: causes, diagnostics and methods of treatment.

Methods: information for this literature review was collected using keywords related to Cushing’s syndrome and its comorbidities in “PubMed” database.

Conclusions: Cushing’s syndrome involves many systems and significantly reduces patient‘s quality of life. Diagnosis and treatment of the syndrome is a multi – step process which can take a long time because of its difficult differentiation, patient‘s late visit to endocrinologist and often contradictory labarotory findings. This can worsen patient‘s condition as late diagnosis leads to late symptomic or etiological treatment.

Keywords: Cushing, syndrome.