Cushing's Syndrome

Cushing’s syndrome — the overproduction of corticosteroids — may be caused by an overproduction of cortisol (the hormone that controls the adrenal gland) by the pituitary gland. Other causes of Cushing’s syndrome include:

• Certain lung cancers and other tumors outside the pituitary gland
• Benign (non-cancerous) or cancerous tumors on the adrenal gland(s)

To learn more about Cushing’s Syndrome in children, please click on the following links:

• Symptoms and causes of Cushing’s Syndrome
• Diagnosis and treatment of Cushing’s Syndrome
• Programs and services for Cushing’s Syndrome at Boston Children’s Hospital

Children and adolescents with Cushing's syndrome experience weight gain, growth retardation and hypertension (high blood pressure). Other symptoms may include:

• Upper body obesity
• Round or moon-shaped face
• Increased fat around neck
• Thinning arms and legs
• Fragile and thin skin
• Darkened pigmentation of the skin
• Acne
• Bruising
• Stretch marks on abdomen, thighs, buttocks, arms, and breasts
• Bone and muscle weakness
• Severe fatigue
• High blood sugar
• Irritability and anxiety
• Excessive hair growth in females
• Irregular or stopped menstrual cycles in females
• Reduced sex drive and fertility in males

In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, your child’s doctor will order specific blood and/or urine tests to measure hormone levels.

In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, your child’s doctor may request some or all of the following procedures:

• X-ray: a diagnostic test which uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones and organs onto film
• 24-hour urinary test (urine is collected over a 24-hour period to measure corticosteroid hormones)
• Computerized tomography scan (also called a CT or CAT scan): a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images (often called slices), both horizontally and vertically, of the body
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): a diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radio frequencies and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body
• Dexamethasone suppression test (to differentiate whether the excess production of corticotropins originates from the pituitary gland or tumors elsewhere)
• Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) stimulation test (to differentiate whether the cause is a pituitary tumor or an adrenal tumor)

Treatment for overactive adrenal glands may include surgical removal of growths on the adrenal gland(s) or the adrenal gland(s) itself. Your doctor may also prescribe medications that block the excessive production of certain hormones.