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Published on: December 11, 2017

Cardiac dysfunction is reversed upon successful treatment of Cushing's syndrome

Alberto M Pereira1, Victoria Delgado, Johannes A Romijn

  • 1Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Leiden University Medical Center, C4-R, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.

European Journal of Endocrinology
|November 26, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Successful Cushing's syndrome (CS) treatment reverses cardiac dysfunction. This study shows that CS causes subclinical systolic dysfunction, which improves after normalizing corticosteroid levels.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Endocrinology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Active Cushing's syndrome (CS) is associated with cardiac abnormalities, but reversibility after treatment is not well understood.
  • Sensitive echocardiographic parameters are needed to detect subtle cardiac changes in CS.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate cardiac structural and functional changes after successful CS treatment.
  • To assess the reversal of cardiac dysfunction using advanced echocardiography.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study of 15 CS patients and 30 controls.
  • Two-dimensional speckle tracking strain imaging to assess multidirectional left ventricular (LV) strain.
  • Measurement of systolic (shortening) and diastolic (SR(IVRT)) parameters.

Main Results:

  • CS patients exhibited LV hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction, and impaired LV systolic function (circumferential and longitudinal shortening, decreased SR(IVRT)) compared to controls.
  • After treatment, LV structural abnormalities resolved.
  • Cardiac function normalized, with improved LV shortening and SR(IVRT).

Conclusions:

  • Cushing's syndrome causes subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction beyond hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction.
  • Successful treatment of CS leads to the reversal of these cardiac abnormalities.
Abstract

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