[Cushing's syndrome: clinical study of fifteen cases].

OBJECTIVE: To study the epidemiological and clinical features and diagnostic tests of Cushing's syndrome (CS) of non-iatrogenic etiology, because of there are few similar studies in the last ten years. METHODS: Fifteen cases of CS were diagnosed from 1992 to 1997 at our hospital. We describe the epidemiological, clinical, biochemical, radiologic, therapeutic and evolutive characteristics. RESULTS: Both diabetes mellitus and hypertension were observed in 40% of patients. The frequency of etiologies was: Cushing's disease, 66.6%; ectopic ACTH syndrome, 13.3%; adrenal adenoma, 6.6%; adrenal carcinoma, 6.6%; and undiagnosed, 6.6%. The 24-hour urine free cortisol (UFC) and the overnight 1 mg oral dexamethasone suppression test yielded 93.3 and 100% diagnostic sensitivity for CS, respectively. The overnight 8 mg oral dexamethasone suppression test, the metyrapone test and the 7 mg intravenous dexmethasone test had 75, 50 and 60% diagnostic sensitivity for Cushing's disease, respectively. Ketoconazole treatment had success in to normalize the 24-hour UFC in all patients, except for the case of adrenal carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: The Cushing's disease was the most common form of CS. The 24-hour UFC and overnight 1 mg oral dexamethasone suppression test were good screening studies. Ketoconazole was successful in normalizing the adrenal cortex function.