open access

Vol 62, No 2 (2011)
Case report
Submitted: 2013-02-15
Published online: 2011-04-29
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A case of Cushing’s syndrome in pregnancy

Grażyna Bednarek-Tupikowska, Eliza Kubicka, Teresa Sicińska-Werner, Anna Kazimierczak, Jacek Winowski, Małgorzata Tupikowska, Maria Janczyszyn, Marek Bolanowski
Endokrynol Pol 2011;62(2):181-185.

open access

Vol 62, No 2 (2011)
Case report
Submitted: 2013-02-15
Published online: 2011-04-29

Abstract

Cushing’s syndrome (also known as hypercortisolemia) is rare in pregnant women due to the menstrual disturbances and infertility in women with hypercortisolism. A diagnosis of pathological hypercortisolism in pregnant women is often difficult as some symptoms of the disease may be associated with a complicated pregnancy. Hypercortisolemia leads to serious complications for mother and foetus, and is associated with premature labour and high foetal mortality. Hormonal and radiological diagnostics in pregnancy are limited. The results of hormonal measurements and dynamic tests are difficult to interpret due to the physiological changes in the hypothalamo-pituitaryadrenal axis connected with pregnancy. The optimal time and method of treatment should be chosen cautiously case by case because of the possibility of maternal and foetal complications.
In this paper, we present a case of Cushing’s syndrome secondary to adrenal adenoma in which the diagnosis was made in the 22nd week of pregnancy. Due to the advanced gestational status and mild symptoms of hypercortisolism, only symptomatic treatment was introduced. The patient was under continuous obstetric and endocrinological care. At 35 weeks of gestation, the pregnancy was terminated by emergency caesarean section because of premature detachment of the placenta. A male infant weighing 2,450 g was delivered; neither adrenal insufficiency in the child nor hypercortisolemia complications in the mother were observed.
(Pol J Endocrinol 2011; 62 (2): 181–185)

Abstract

Cushing’s syndrome (also known as hypercortisolemia) is rare in pregnant women due to the menstrual disturbances and infertility in women with hypercortisolism. A diagnosis of pathological hypercortisolism in pregnant women is often difficult as some symptoms of the disease may be associated with a complicated pregnancy. Hypercortisolemia leads to serious complications for mother and foetus, and is associated with premature labour and high foetal mortality. Hormonal and radiological diagnostics in pregnancy are limited. The results of hormonal measurements and dynamic tests are difficult to interpret due to the physiological changes in the hypothalamo-pituitaryadrenal axis connected with pregnancy. The optimal time and method of treatment should be chosen cautiously case by case because of the possibility of maternal and foetal complications.
In this paper, we present a case of Cushing’s syndrome secondary to adrenal adenoma in which the diagnosis was made in the 22nd week of pregnancy. Due to the advanced gestational status and mild symptoms of hypercortisolism, only symptomatic treatment was introduced. The patient was under continuous obstetric and endocrinological care. At 35 weeks of gestation, the pregnancy was terminated by emergency caesarean section because of premature detachment of the placenta. A male infant weighing 2,450 g was delivered; neither adrenal insufficiency in the child nor hypercortisolemia complications in the mother were observed.
(Pol J Endocrinol 2011; 62 (2): 181–185)
Get Citation

Keywords

Cushing’s syndrome; pregnancy; adrenal adenoma; hypercortisolism

About this article
Title

A case of Cushing’s syndrome in pregnancy

Journal

Endokrynologia Polska

Issue

Vol 62, No 2 (2011)

Article type

Case report

Pages

181-185

Published online

2011-04-29

Page views

1035

Article views/downloads

2105

Bibliographic record

Endokrynol Pol 2011;62(2):181-185.

Keywords

Cushing’s syndrome
pregnancy
adrenal adenoma
hypercortisolism

Authors

Grażyna Bednarek-Tupikowska
Eliza Kubicka
Teresa Sicińska-Werner
Anna Kazimierczak
Jacek Winowski
Małgorzata Tupikowska
Maria Janczyszyn
Marek Bolanowski

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