Serum steroid profiling in Cushing's syndrome patients

Abstract

Context: Cushing's syndrome is caused by increased exposure to cortisol. Discrimination of different causes of endogenous hypercortisolism can make a diagnostic dilemma.

Patients and methods: In serum samples from patients with Cushing's syndrome (47 with Cushing's disease, 6 with ectopic ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome, 16 with adrenal adenoma, 7 bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (BMAH) with overt Cushing's syndrome, 42 controls from the general population) using novel method based on gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) we measured 94 serum steroids to search for steroid fingerprint of each subtype.

Results: Patients with Cushing's disease and ectopic ACTH producing tumors showed elevated levels of androgens and their metabolites when compared with healthy controls. Mineralocorticoid precursors were also elevated in ectopic ACTH syndrome. The levels of androgens were decreased in adrenal adenomas and BMAH. ROC analysis showed 100% sensitivity and 93.6% specificity for 11β-hydroxyepiandrosterone sulfate for discrimination of Cushing's disease from ectopic ACTH secretion. We didn't find any significant (p < 0.05) difference in steroids that would discriminate BMAH from unilateral adenomas causing Cushing's syndrome.

Conclusion: Various causes of Cushing's syndrome show particular steroid fingerprints that can be used to discriminate and may help to achieve appropriate clinical diagnosis.

Keywords: ACTH; BMAH; Cushing’s syndrome; Ectopic; Metabolome; Steroid.