Cushing's disease: results of treatment and factors affecting outcome

To analyze the therapeutic results of intervention and the factors affecting the outcome of patients with Cushing's disease (CD) cared for at the All Indian Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi.

Patients with Cushing's disease treated at a teritiary care centre from January 2000 to December 2009 were prospectively studied.

Ninety-seven patients received treatment for CD during this period. Mean duration of follow-up was 3.4 ± 2.2 (mean ± SD) years. Eighty-one patients (83.5%) underwent transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) as the primary treatment modality. Fifty-four patients (66.7%) went into remission after initial TSS; ten (18.5%) of them relapsed after a mean follow-up period of 2.9 ± 2.1 (mean ± SD) years. Histopathologic examination of resected tissue showed corticotroph adenoma in 48 of the 54 (88.9%) who went into remission and 17 of the 27 (63.0%) who did not go into remission after the initial TSS. Sixteen patients with severe hypercortisolism underwent bilateral adrenalectomy (BA) as a life-saving measure which was followed by pituitary surgery 6 to 12 months later. Five patients including one with a large macroadenoma required three or more procedures to achieve eucortisolism.

Fifty-four out of 81 (66.7%) of our patients with CD had remission following initial TSS, ten of whom relapsed later on. Sixteen patients unerwent BA as a life-saving procedure. Factors affecting outcome were, age, gender, low dose dexamethasone suppression test cortisol value and histologic confirmation of corticotroph adenoma.