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Published on: September 15, 2017

Thromboembolic complications after inferior petrosal sinus sampling in patients with cushing's syndrome

L S Blevins1, R V Clark, D S Owens

  • 1Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-6303, USA.

Endocrine Practice : Official Journal of the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
|July 15, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Inferior petrosal sinus sampling for Cushing's syndrome can lead to serious thromboembolic events, including fatal pulmonary embolism. Physicians should be aware of this risk during patient care.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

  • Cushing's syndrome requires accurate diagnosis, often involving inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS).
  • Thromboembolic complications are a known risk of invasive procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To raise physician awareness of potential severe thromboembolic risks associated with IPSS in Cushing's syndrome patients.
  • To highlight the occurrence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) post-IPSS.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of medical records over 12 years.
  • Identification of patients with Cushing's syndrome who experienced thromboembolic events after IPSS.
  • Presentation of case reports for affected individuals.

Main Results:

  • Two out of 34 patients with corticotropin-dependent Cushing's syndrome developed DVT after IPSS.
  • One patient experienced a fatal outcome due to pulmonary thromboembolism.

Conclusions:

  • IPSS in Cushing's syndrome patients carries a risk of serious and potentially fatal thromboembolic disorders.
  • Further prospective studies are needed to establish the precise incidence of DVT following IPSS.
Abstract

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