Cushing's syndrome in children: What you need to know

Posted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Nam Phong - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital

Cushing's syndrome is an endocrine disease caused by dysfunction of the adrenal cortex, causing chronic uncontrolled glucocorticoid hormone levels. This is a fairly common endocrine disease in clinical practice. In children, it is often called adrenal dysgenesis.

Cushing's syndrome is an endocrine disease caused by dysfunction of the adrenal cortex, causing chronic uncontrolled glucocorticoid hormone levels. Accordingly, if parents detect the following signs in their children, these may be symptoms of Cushing's syndrome:
Cravings Rapid weight gain Central obesity: face, trunk Buffalo: accumulation of fat on the nape of the neck Muscle atrophy, proximal muscle weakness. The face is round like the moon, the face is red. Skin atrophy, stretch marks, bruises. Hairy

What causes Cushing's syndrome? In fact, it is caused by bodily tissues being exposed to high levels of cortisol in the blood. Cortisol is a hormone that helps the body regulate blood pressure and respond to stress produced by the adrenal glands.
Too much Cortisol in the body can result from taking prescription medications prescribed by a doctor to treat other conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. These medications contain the hormone glucocorticoids-steroid, a hormone that is chemically similar to corticosteroids. Glucocorticoids are also used to suppress the immune system after an organ transplant.
Some types of tumors can also produce excessive amounts of cortisol. These tumors can appear in the pituitary gland, the adrenal gland, or in other areas.
In summary, Cushing's syndrome is caused by 2 groups of causes:
Due to pathologies that increase glucocorticoid production: pituitary gland tumor, adrenal tumor, ACTH-secreting tumor. Due to prolonged use of glucocorticoid-containing drugs. Of these, drug-induced Cushing's syndrome is the most common cause. Most children have a history of systemic glucocorticoid use (oral, injectable) with therapeutic doses, for a long enough time. A small number of cases of topical glucocorticoids such as topical drugs, inhaled drugs or topical injections have also been reported to cause Cushing's syndrome in humans, especially in children.

Cushing's syndrome can cause great harm to children, such as:
Osteoporosis Increased chance of infection Diabetes High blood pressure Slow height growth Risk of adrenal crisis Menstrual disorders in girls

Treatments for Cushing's syndrome in children depending on the cause are as follows:
4.1. Tumor causes Tumor causes depend on the type of tumor that the doctor prescribes the specific treatment.
4.2. Cause due to prolonged use of drugs containing glucocorticoid active ingredients Reduce dose gradually and stop the current drug if possible. Do not stop abruptly to avoid acute adrenal insufficiency, a rare but very serious complication that can be fatal if glucocorticoids are stopped abruptly. Cushing's syndrome is an endocrine disease caused by dysfunction of the adrenal cortex, causing chronic uncontrolled glucocorticoid hormone levels. The disease can leave dangerous complications if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Therefore, when there are signs of illness, parents need to take their children to medical centers for examination and treatment.
With many years of experience in examining and treating diseases in children, now the Pediatrics Department at Vinmec International General Hospital has become one of the major health care centers, capable of examining , screening and treatment of many specialized diseases in children. Therefore, if a child shows signs of Cushing's syndrome, parents can take the child to Vinmec International General Hospital for examination and receive support and advice from doctors and health professionals.