Storr HL, Alexandraki KI, Martin L, Isidori AM, Kaltsas GA, Monson JP, Besser GM, Matson M, Evanson J, Afshar F, Sabin I, Savage MO, Grossman AB. Comparisons in the epidemiology, diagnostic features and cure rate by transsphenoidal surgery between paediatric and adult-onset Cushing's disease.
Eur J Endocrinol 2011;
164:667-74. [PMID:
21310872 DOI:
10.1530/eje-10-1120]
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE
There are few published comparisons between paediatric and adult-onset Cushing's disease (CD). We compare the epidemiology, diagnostic features and cure rate by transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) in these groups.
DESIGN
Retrospective review of patient databases in a single university hospital centre.
PATIENTS
Totally, 41 paediatric (mean age 12.3 ± 3.5 years; range 5.7-17.8) and 183 adult (mean age 40 ± 13 years; range 18.0-95.0) patients with CD were investigated.
RESULTS
Paediatric CD was characterised by male (63%) and adult CD by a female predominance (79%, P<0.0001). There were small but significant differences in clinical presentation. Biochemical features of CD were comparable except the serum cortisol increase during a CRH test: mean change (105%, n=39) in paediatric and (54%, n=123) in adult subjects (P<0.0001). Macroadenomas were more common in adult (15%, 28/183) than in paediatric (2%, 1/41, P=0.04) CD. Corticotroph microadenomas were more easily visualised by pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in adult (76%, 50/66) compared with paediatric (55%, 21/38, P=0.045) CD with poorer concordance of imaging with surgical findings in children (P=0.058). The incidence of ACTH lateralisation by bilateral simultaneous inferior petrosal sinus sampling was comparable in paediatric (76%, 25/33) and adult (79%, 46/58; P=0.95) patients with good surgical concordance in both (82% paediatric and 79% adult). Cure rates by TSS were comparable, with a paediatric cure rate of 69%.
CONCLUSION
Several features of paediatric CD are distinct: increased frequency of prepubertal CD in males, the different clinical presentation, the decreased presence of macroadenomas and the frequent absence of radiological evidence of an adenoma on MRI.
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