[Cushing disease in children and in adolescents. Therapeutic results]

[Cushing syndrome in adolescents: report of 18 patients]

Le syndrome de Cushing est une pathologie rare mais grave chez l'enfant et l'adolescent. Elle diffère de la pathologie adulte par le mode de présentation et la prise en charge. Il s'agit d'une étude rétrospective des dossiers de patients suivis pour syndrome de Cushing au service d'endocrinologie de Casablanca entre 2002 - 2015, incluant les patients âgés au moment du diagnostic de moins de 22 ans, et ayant un suivi d'au moins 1 an. Au total 18 dossiers ont été inclus. L’âge moyen est de 19,55 ans, avec une prédominance féminine. La durée d’évolution moyenne est de 4,05 ans. Le tableau clinique est fait souvent d'une cassure de poids, une obésité ou une séborrhée et acné. La démarche diagnostique est comparable à celle de l'adulte. Sur le plan étiologique on retrouve une prédominance de la maladie de Cushing (15 patients). Sur le plan thérapeutique, 14 patients ont bénéficié d'une chirurgie hypophysaire, avec complément par radiothérapie chez 3 patients devant l’échec de la chirurgie, Une ablation d'une tumeur surrénalienne chez une patiente et une surrénalectomie bilatérale chez trois patients. L’évolution a été marquée par une guérison chez 9 patients et le décès chez 4 (suite à un syndrome de Nelson, infection sévère, choc hémorragique, corticosurrénalome). Les résultats de cette étude soulignent la gravité de cette maladie, ce qui nécessite d'organiser le suivi, en élaborant des programmes spécifiques de suivi médical et de prise en charge psychologique.

Surgical management of pediatric Cushing's disease

BACKGROUND

Cushing's disease may have a direct effect on growth pattern, pubertal maturation, and long-term survival in pediatric patients.

METHODS

Dexamethasone suppression test was done in 10 children (median age, 15 years) and showed variable suppressibility, with microadenoma seen in 5, macroadenoma in 3, and normal gland in 2 patients. Inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPPS) was also carried out and confirmed pituitary adenoma as source of ACTH in 2 patients. We adopted sublabial transsphenoidal (n = 9) or pterional transsylvian route (n = 1) in macroadenoma with conchal sphenoid sinus. Serum cortisol level <50 nmol/L was taken as the criteria for biochemical remission.

RESULTS

Clinical remission was achieved in 7 of 10 operated patients. In 2 patients where clinical remission was achieved, postoperative BSC could not be done. Postoperative BSC was less than 50 nmol/L in 2 (25%) of 8 patients and remained elevated in 6. Remission was achieved in both patients with postoperative BSC less than 50 nmol/L and in 3 of 6 with elevated levels. Three patients had neither clinical nor biochemical remission: 2 underwent bilateral adrenalectomy and 1 received radiotherapy. Postoperative CSF leak seen even in microadenomas associated with arachnoidal prolapse. Among 7 patients who initially remitted (median follow-up of 82 months; range, 24-120 months), recurrence of disease occurred in 3 (42.8%) patients after a median interval of 5 years.

CONCLUSIONS

In children with CD, endocrinal manifestations are more frequent than visual symptoms. Transsphenoidal route is the preferred approach, but a nonpneumatised sphenoid sinus may be present. Sellar arachnoidal prolapse may cause postoperative CSF leak even in microadenomas. Surgery is the first line of treatment, but constant monitoring is mandatory to pick up the relapsed cases.

[Cushing's disease in the 90's: a review]

Since 1932 when Cushing's disease has been described, several important advances have been made in diagnosis and management. However several points remain obscure and there is no general agreement among authors. An accurate biological diagnosis is one of the difficulties found when we face a patient with hypercortisolism. In addition, corticotropin dependent syndrome should be distinguished from the independent one, as well as identifying the source of ACTH hypersecretion. The main problem in Cushing's disease is to localise the secreting adenoma and at the moment there is not any diagnostic method with absolute sensibility and specificity. Magnetic Resonance Imaging shows a sensibility of 77% and 87% especificity; inferior petrosal sinus sampling may help in localising the side, where the adenoma lies, although an appropriate technique is mandatory. New developing techniques, such as intraoperative doppler and assessment of ACTH levels in the peripituitary veins may help us in localising the source of ACTH hypersecretion. Sometimes the adenoma cannot be identified and a surgical exploration of the pituitary is required. If an adenoma is found, a 89% probility of curation has been reported; on the contrary, incomplete tumor removal, no tumor found at surgery, or the presence of the so-called corticotrop hyperplasia where followed of bad results and may explain the failed surgery. Then, hypofisectomy, hemi-hypofisectomy, radiotherapy, photon knife or gamma knife, may be of help in the control of this condition. We reviewed the recent literature and analysed the diagnostic strategies and teatments currently available for this illness. In addition we propose an algohritm for diagnosis and treatment and analyze our results in a consecutive series of 38 patients.