Abstract
Patients with metabolic syndrome who present with vascular, metabolic, or bone disorders of recent onset, are difficult to control, or are progressively deteriorating are potentially linked to cortisol excess. The aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of occult Cushing's syndrome (CS) in metabolic syndrome patients. Thirty women with metabolic syndrome were chosen from Endocrinology clinic El Kasr El Ani without any phonotypical features of Cushing’s syndrome. All patients were subjected to the following: full history taking with full clinical evaluation and laboratory tests including fasting and pp blood sugar, lipid profile, and renal and liver function tests. Calculation of body mass index with measurement of waist circumference and overnight 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test were done. Among the 30 patients who participated in the study, three patients (10 %) did not show positive dexamethasone suppression test (non-suppressed group = subclinical or occult Cushing’s syndrome patients), and the rest of the patients (27) showed positive test (suppressed group). A relatively high prevalence of occult CS was found in our study. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of the cure of occult CS in patients with metabolic syndrome. Such studies might provide a rationale for systematic screening of occult CS in this population. Thus, it would be beneficial since it will reduce the period of time spent in the atherosclerotic, catabolic, and thrombotic milieu of hypercortisolism.
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Mansour, M.M., Salam, R.F. & Mogy, F.E. Subclinical hypercorticism in patients with metabolic syndrome. Comp Clin Pathol 24, 223–228 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-013-1717-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-013-1717-5