Cushing’s syndrome as a cause of secondary obesity and metabolic syndrome: a case report

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Case Report

Cushing’s syndrome as a cause of secondary obesity and metabolic syndrome: a case report

Carla Micaela Cuttica¹ , Patrizia Del Monte¹, Teresa Cardillo¹, Paola Carla Robotti¹, Luca Foppiani¹, Alessandro Marugo¹, Massimo Oppezzi², Paolo Quilici³ and Anselmo Arlandini⁴

(1) 
SSD di Endocrinologia, E.O. Ospedali Galliera, Via Mura delle Cappuccine 14, Genoa, Italy

(2) 
SC di Gastroenterologia, E.O. Ospedali Galliera, Genoa, Italy

(3) 
SC di Anatomia e Istologia Patologica, E.O. Ospedali Galliera, Genoa, Italy

(4) 
SC di Chirurgia Generale ed Epatobiliopancreatica, E.O. Ospedali Galliera, Genoa, Italy

Received: 3 April 2009  Accepted: 11 May 2009  Published online: 8 July 2009

Abstract  We describe the case of a woman affected by morbid obesity associated to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hyperlipidaemia and hypertension, configuring a picture of metabolic syndrome (MS). Hormonal investigations revealed that her MS was secondary to the presence of a cortisol-producing left adrenal adenoma. After monolateral adrenalectomy, the MS subsided. Excessive and sustained hypercortisolism gives rise to the entire spectrum of MS. As some clinical manifestations of MS and Cushing’s syndrome (CS) overlap, it is important to consider CS as a possible cause of secondary MS, in order to avoid a delay in diagnosis and proper treatment, which exposes the patient to an increased risk of morbidity and mortality.

Keywords  Metabolic syndrome - Obesity - Cushing’s syndrome - Intragastric balloon

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Carla Micaela Cuttica
Email: carla.micaela.cuttica@galliera.it

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