[Esophageal lesions in Cushing's syndrome and corticosteroma]

The state of the esophagus was studied in 60 patients with endogenous hypercorticism (2 with corticosteroma, 58 with Icenko-Cushing disease). The purpose was to reveal the nature and frequency of esophageal lesions and peculiarities of their clinical symptoms. X-ray and endoscopic methods were used. Functional and organic esophageal changes were shown to be rather common in patients with excess of body glucocorticoids: hypomotor dyskinesia was noted in 27% of the patients, cardial insufficiency in 13%, cardial hernia of the esophageal orifice of the diaphragm in 28%, reflux-esophagitis in 43%. Cardial hernia and esophagitis in such patients are often characterized by weak clinical symptoms masked by other signs of severe endocrine pathology. They can be also symptomless making their early diagnosis difficult. However these esophageal diseases are fraught with danger and life threatening complications: ulcerations, perforations, esophageal hemorrhages aggravating a course of the main disease. These patients need appropriate therapy to avoid complications.