A syndrome of periodic adrenocorticotropin and vasopressin discharge

Diagnostic challenges in cyclic Cushing's syndrome: a systematic review

Cyclic Cushing's syndrome is a subentity of Cushing's syndrome in which phases of biochemical hypercortisolism (peaks) are followed by spontaneous periods of physiological or even hypocortisolaemic cortisol secretion (troughs). To identify common features of cyclic Cushing's syndrome, we systematically reviewed single case reports and case series in MEDLINE from database inception to Oct 10, 2022, and identified 707 articles, of which 149 articles were assessed for eligibility and 118 articles (covering 212 cases) were included in the analysis. Pituitary tumours accounted for 67% of cases of cyclic Cushing's syndrome (n=143), ectopic tumours for 17% (n=36), and adrenal tumours for 11% (n=23). Occult tumours accounted for 2% of cases (n=4), and 3% of cases were unclassified (n=6). We compared the clinical symptoms and comorbidities of patients with cyclic Cushing's syndrome with those of patients with non-cyclic Cushing's syndrome and observed no major difference. In adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-dependent cyclic Cushing's syndrome, bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling had a positive (ie, true pituitary) and negative (ie, true ectopic) predictive value of 100% when performed during periods of hypercortisolism, versus a positive predictive value of 73% and a negative predictive value of 86% when performed, irrespective of cortisolaemic status. Overall, 6% of patients (n=12) with cyclic Cushing's syndrome had unnecessary surgery due to misclassification. Remission rates were significantly lower and the time to remission significantly longer in patients with cyclic Cushing's syndrome compared with patients with non-cyclic Cushing's syndrome (p<0·001). Variations in biochemical test results due to unpredictable cycle duration and frequency might cause diagnostic challenges resulting in misdiagnoses and missed diagnoses.

Cyclic vomiting syndrome: A narrative review and guide to management

OBJECTIVES/BACKGROUND

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a disabling disorder of gut-brain interaction manifested by stereotypical and severe episodes of nausea and vomiting. Prevalence data indicate that CVS affects 1-2% of children and there has been a recent dramatic rise in diagnosed adults.

METHODS

This narrative review summarizes relevant literature pertaining to pediatric and adult CVS and provides a guide to management based on extensive clinical experience.

RESULTS

More timely diagnosis is facilitated by an expert consensus diagnostic approach and limited testing. Some diagnostic tests of exclusion remain essential. These include an upper gastrointestinal (GI) contrast study to exclude intestinal malrotation and basic laboratory screening. An abdominal ultrasound is recommended to exclude renal hydronephrosis in children and biliary disease in adults. Exclusion of metabolic/genetic conditions is warranted in those with specific warning signs, presentation in infants/toddler age, and in those with refractory disease. In the absence of chronic GI symptoms, referral to a GI specialist for upper endoscopy is generally not necessary in children but recommended in adults. A large subset termed migraine-equivalent CVS display strong clinical and genetic features of migraine. A unifying pathophysiologic core concept involves neuronal hyperexcitability and aberrant central modulation of autonomic signals. This is coupled with multiple susceptibility factors including mitochondrial dysfunction/cellular energy deficits, a hyper-responsive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and many comorbidities that increase vulnerability to triggering events. CVS episodes are frequently triggered by stressors and intercurrent illnesses. Lifestyle and non-pharmacological interventions thus play a pivotal role in successful management. Pharmacological therapies are categorized into abortive, supportive/rescue, and prophylactic treatments. The majority respond particularly well to migraine-focused treatment strategies.

CONCLUSION

Despite improved characterization and understanding, CVS remains classified as a functional disorder of brain-gut interaction that is often disjointly managed by generalists and subspecialists. Early recognition, evaluation, and management will facilitate care and improve outcomes. Further research into its natural history with common progression to migraine headaches, neuroendocrine mechanisms, and the pathophysiologic relation to migraine diathesis is much needed.

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome in Infants and Children: A Clinical Follow-Up Study

BACKGROUND

Cyclic vomiting syndrome is characterized by recurrent vomiting that is associated with increased adrenocorticotropic hormone and antidiuretic hormone levels during cyclic vomiting syndrome attacks. However, both prognosis and treatment remain unclear. We therefore evaluated the clinical features, prognosis, and effectiveness of the prophylaxis of cyclic vomiting syndrome as well as the relationship between symptoms and adrenocorticotropic hormone/antidiuretic hormone levels.

METHODS

We included 31 patients with cyclic vomiting syndrome who were admitted to Teikyo University between 1996 and 2008. All patients were diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome based on the criteria of the second edition of the International Headache Classification. The patients (25 of 31) were followed until 2013.

RESULTS

The median overall duration of the disorder was 66 (3-179) months. Follow-up was completed for 25 patients with cyclic vomiting syndrome, of whom 44% (n = 11) developed migraine. Valproic acid, valproic acid with phenobarbital, phenobarbital, and amitriptyline were effective in nine, four, three, and one patients, respectively. Abnormally high adrenocorticotropic hormone (n = 17) and antidiuretic hormone (n = 18) levels were found among the 25 patients for whom follow-up data were available. The following correlations were significant: attack duration and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels (correlation coefficient: 0.5153, P = 0.0084) and attack duration and antidiuretic hormone levels (correlation coefficient: 0.5666, P = 0.0031). Antidiuretic hormone levels in patients with bilious vomiting were higher than in those without bilious vomiting (P = 0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients with cyclic vomiting syndrome recovered completely and benefited from prophylactic therapy, although half of them developed migraines.

Type 1 diabetes complicated with uncontrollable adult cyclic vomiting syndrome: a case report

We herein describe the case of a 29-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes from 10 years of age who developed adult cyclic vomiting syndrome. Beginning at 25 years of age, she was frequently hospitalized for stress-induced vomiting. Her vomiting episodes developed acutely and remitted after severe vomiting of more than 30 times a day for a few days. The vomiting periods were accompanied by leukocytosis with a predominance of neutrophils, high blood pressure and fever. In addition, it was noted that her levels of both adrenocorticotropic hormone and antidiuretic hormone during the vomiting attacks increased and subsequently dramatically decreased immediately after symptom improvement; therefore, she was diagnosed with adult-type cyclic vomiting syndrome in accordance with the diagnostic criteria of Rome III, a system developed to classify functional gastrointestinal disorders. Though glycemic control had improved with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy, the vomiting frequency increased due to the failure of drug treatments and general psychotherapy to terminate the vomiting attacks, making discharge difficult and greatly interfering with everyday life. Eventually, hypnotherapy and miniature garden therapy were prescribed, which significantly reduced the vomiting frequency, making it possible to discharge her from inpatient medical care.

In the treatment of this patient with type 1 diabetes and adult-type cyclic vomiting syndrome, continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy and comprehensive psychotherapy were effective.

North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition consensus statement on the diagnosis and management of cyclic vomiting syndrome

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a disorder noted for its unique intensity of vomiting, repeated emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and reduced quality of life. It is often misdiagnosed due to the unappreciated pattern of recurrence and lack of confirmatory testing. Because no accepted approach to management has been established, the task force was charged to develop a report on diagnosis and treatment of CVS based upon a review of the medical literature and expert opinion. The key issues addressed were the diagnostic criteria, the appropriate evaluation, the prophylactic therapy, and the therapy of acute attacks. The recommended diagnostic approach is to avoid "shotgun" testing and instead to use a strategy of targeted testing that varies with the presence of 4 red flags: abdominal signs (eg, bilious vomiting, tenderness), triggering events (eg, fasting, high protein meal), abnormal neurological examination (eg, altered mental status, papilledema), and progressive worsening or a changing pattern of vomiting episodes. Therapeutic recommendations include lifestyle changes, prophylactic therapy (eg, cyproheptadine in children 5 years or younger and amitriptyline for those older than 5), and acute therapy (eg, 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor agonists, termed triptans herein, as abortive therapy, and 10% dextrose and ondansetron for those requiring intravenous hydration). This document represents the official recommendations of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition for the diagnosis and treatment of CVS in children and adolescents.

Cyclic vomiting syndrome in adults

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) was initially described in children but can occur in all age groups. Cyclic vomiting syndrome is increasingly recognized in adults. However, the lack of awareness of CVS in adults has led to small numbers of diagnosed patients and a paucity of published data on the causes, diagnosis and management of CVS in adults. This article is a state-of-knowledge overview on CVS in adults and is intended to provide a framework for management and further investigations into CVS in adults.

[On the subject of the cyclic vomiting syndrome]

The cyclic vomiting syndrome is defined by episodes of vomiting lasting from hours to days with free intervals between episodes. Various symptoms can be associated with vomiting: nausea, abdominal pain, photophobia, fever, pallor, dehydratation, excess salivation, social withdrawal. Some factors often precipitate the crisis: infection, psychological stresses, menstruation. Excluding a medical condition, especially a gastro-intestinal or a neurological disease is compulsory for the diagnostic of cyclic vomiting syndrome. The cyclic vomiting syndrome shares many common features with migraine including treatment. Due to negative paraclinical testing, a psychiatric disease is often suspected in these children. Pathophysiology of cyclic vomiting syndrome is unknown. As for migraine, mitochondrial and ionic channels abnormalities are thought to play a role. Overactivation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and autonomic dysfunction seem to be involved too. Three clinical vignets will illustrate these aspects.

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome

For the last century, empiric therapy has been used to treat the relentless vomiting and resulting dehydration associated with cyclic vomiting syndrome. Despite its unknown pathogenesis, in the last decade, uncontrolled trials of various antimigraine and antiemetic agents have demonstrated rates of efficacy of 40% to 90%. Antimigraine agents are used to prevent or abort episodes, whereas antiemetic agents are used to attenuate symptoms during episodes. A positive family history of migraine headaches renders the patient more likely to respond to antimigraine therapy. In addition to antimigraine therapy, antiemetic sedative/anxiolytic, neuroleptic and gastroinestinal prokinetic agents may be useful.

Periodic discharge of adrenocorticotropin and vasopressin associated with focal glomerulosclerosis

We report the first case of the syndrome of periodic adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and vasopressin (ADH) discharge associated with focal glomerulosclerosis. Approximately 30 cases of this syndrome have so far been reported in Japan, but no cases associated with renal dysfunction have yet been reported. The patient, a 10-year-old Japanese boy, was referred to our hospital because of recurrent attacks of vomiting. He was diagnosed as having this syndrome from clinical and laboratory findings. While various drugs were tried to manage his vomiting attacks, only valproic acid appeared to be effective in reducing the frequency of the attacks. Chronic nephritis was manifested when the patient was 12 years old, which required treatment with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Valproic acid was proved to be effective in reducing the number of attacks over 4 months.

Intermittent Hypercortisolism: A Disorder Strikingly Prevalent After Hypophysial Surgical Procedures

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency of intermittent hypercortisolism in a consecutive series of patients with Cushing's disease who underwent hypophysial surgical treatment.

METHODS

Thirty-three patients with hypercortisolism of central origin underwent follow-up at approximately annual intervals for prolonged periods after a transsphenoidal pituitary surgical procedure. Clinical evaluation was done, and urinary steroid measurements, as well as dexamethasone suppression tests in some patients, were performed.

RESULTS

Frequently normal but intermittently increased urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroid or cortisol excretion (or both) was found in six patients postoperatively, associated with intermittently severe hypertension, headaches, and weakness in only one patient. In a seventh patient, intermittently excessive cortisol excretion was clearly evident preoperatively.

CONCLUSION

Because corticoid excretion was variable preoperatively in three of the seven study patients, we conclude that intermittent hypercortisolism is commoner than previous evidence has shown, constitutes an extremely difficult diagnostic problem, and did not result from but failed to be cured by pituitary surgical treatment in 6 of 33 patients (18%). The findings emphasize the need for regular follow-up for several years in all patients with Cushing's syndrome who have undergone a hypophysial surgical procedure. Variable consistency of follow-up might partly explain the wide discrepancies between reports of 80 to 90% and 40 to 60% cure rates after a single hypophysial adenomectomy.