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Increased arterial rigidity in children affected by Cushing's syndrome after successful surgical cure

Pier Paolo Bassareo1, Andrea Raffaele Marras, Daniele Pasqualucci

  • 1Department of Cardiovascular and Neurological Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy. piercard@inwind.it

Cardiology in the Young
|May 22, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Children surgically treated for Cushing's syndrome exhibit reduced arterial compliance, indicating persistent cardiovascular risk despite cure. This arterial stiffness may explain hypertension in patients even after successful treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Medical Research

Background:

  • Cushing's syndrome can lead to persistent secondary hypertension due to arterial elasticity loss, even after treatment.
  • Assessing arterial compliance is crucial for understanding cardiovascular risks in these patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate arterial compliance in children post-surgical cure for Cushing's syndrome.
  • To compare arterial stiffness between treated children and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 23 girls (11-18 years) post-surgical Cushing's syndrome cure.
  • Measured arterial stiffness using the QKd 100-60 method.
  • Performed 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and echocardiography.

Main Results:

  • Children with Cushing's syndrome showed significantly lower arterial compliance (QKd 100-60 values).
  • Abnormal 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring results were observed in the treated group.
  • These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.01) compared to controls.

Conclusions:

  • Successful surgical cure of Cushing's syndrome does not fully restore arterial distensibility.
  • Reduced arterial compliance may contribute to hypertension post-treatment.
  • Patients face elevated cardiovascular risk despite normalized cortisol levels and young age.
Abstract

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