🔍 Cushing’s Syndrome — Clinical Overview

本篇為 adrenal 拆分子篇

母篇(anatomy/steroidogenesis、adrenal mass 與 ACC、incidentaloma):Adrenal Disorders(總覽) 姊妹篇:Adrenal InsufficiencyCushing’s SyndromePrimary Aldosteronism Paraganglioma


定義與分類

endogenous vs exogenous

  • exogenous(最常見):外用/口服corticosteroid → Exogenous Cushing’s
  • endogenous(自發性):ACTH-dependent vs ACTH-independent
類型ACTH常見原因比例
ACTH-dependentCushing’s Disease(pituitaryACTH腺瘤,最常見70%
Ectopic ACTH(SCLC最常見)→ 通常更嚴重15%
ACTH-independentAdrenal Adenoma/Carcinoma15%

臨床表現

Cortisol過多的特徵

  • Central obesity、Buffalo hump(fat pad on back of neck)
  • Moon face(facial plethora)
  • Purple striae(>1cm寬,腹部;因 skin thinning 使 dermis 下 vessel 透見呈紫紅色,與一般妊娠紋粉白色不同)
  • skin 變薄、易 bruising
  • Proximal myopathy(gluteal/upper leg muscle atrophy,蹲站/上樓困難最明顯)
  • Osteopenia/osteoporosis(vertebral fracture)、兒童 linear growth 減緩
  • Hypertension、hypokalemia、edema、atherosclerosis、diabetes/glucose intolerance、dyslipidemia
  • menstrual irregularity(amenorrhea,cortisol 抑制 gonadotropin release)、acne、hirsutism
  • 精神症狀(irritability、emotional lability、depression、insomnia、cognitive defect,重症可 paranoid psychosis)
  • infection 風險增加、WBC↑、eosinopenia、hypercoagulable state(VTE/PE 風險明顯升高)

Ectopic ACTH vs Cushing’s Disease:Ectopic ACTH(如SCLC)通常更嚴重、進展更快,更多 hypokalemic alkalosis、hyperpigmentation(ACTH極高刺激melanocyte)。

圖:Clinical features of Cushing’s syndrome——(A) central obesity + broad purple striae,(B) striae close-up,(C) 老年病人的 thin/brittle skin,(D) ectopic ACTH 病人的 knuckle hyperpigmentation (Harrison 22e Fig. 398-9;PDF p.12-13)。

診斷(三步驟)

重要前提:Cushing’s評估通常在門診進行;住院患者因acute疾病引發的 hypercortisolemia 干擾診斷。多數診斷錯誤/不必要影像檢查或手術,源自未先確立 Cushing’s 診斷就跳去做 differential diagnosis 影像——正確流程是先排除 iatrogenic(exogenous glucocorticoid)病因,再確診 cortisol excess,最後才進入病因鑑別。

Step 1:screening/confirmation(多測一致性)

  • 24小時尿游離cortisol(UFC)× 3次收集、增高2倍以上
  • Overnight Dexamethasone Suppression Test(ODST,1 mg Dex 11pm → AM 8-9am Cortisol):Cortisol >50 nmol/L(>1.8 μg/dL)= 陽性(未受抑制)
  • Late-night/midnight salivary cortisol × 2(≥2倍升高為陽性)
  • 若需進一步確認:Low-dose DST(0.5 mg dexamethasone q6h × 2天,cortisol >50 nmol/L = 未受抑制)
  • 需排除干擾因素:24h尿收集不完整、CYP3A4 inducer(如 antiepileptics、rifampin)加速 dexamethasone 代謝致假陽性未受抑制;口服雌激素↑CBG致 total cortisol 假性升高(應停用 4–6 週後複測);pseudo-Cushing states(alcohol-related、major depression、morbid obesity)與 cyclic Cushing’s 需進一步測試釐清

Step 2:確定是否為ACTH-dependent

  • ACTH < 5 pg/mL → ACTH-independent(adrenal腫瘤)→ unenhanced CT adrenals
  • ACTH normal-or-high >15 pg/mL → ACTH-dependent(pituitary或Ectopic)→ 進入 Step 3

Step 3:鑑別pituitary vs Ectopic

  • MRI pituitary(大多數pituitary腺瘤<10mm、~90%為microadenoma,MRI可能陰性)
  • CRH Stimulation Test:100 μg IV;⊕ = ACTH於15-30分上升>40% 且 cortisol於45-60分上升>20%(pituitary有反應)
  • High-Dose DST(HD DST):q6h 2mg Dex×2天 或 單次8mg overnight;cortisol抑制>50% = pituitary
  • Desmopressin test:10 μg IV;⊕ = ACTH上升>33% + cortisol上升>18%
  • 陽性結果 + pituitary lesion >6-9mm at MRI → 診斷 Cushing’s disease;陰性結果 → 考慮 ectopic ACTH production;equivocal → 需 IPSS(Inferior Petrosal Sinus Sampling):中央(petrosal):周邊 ACTH比 baseline ≥2 或 CRH刺激後2-5分 ≥3 = pituitary來源,敏感性/特異性>90-95%;陰性則繼續尋找 ectopic ACTH 來源

圖:Management of the patient with suspected Cushing’s syndrome——完整三步驟演算法,自 clinical suspicion → screening/confirmation → differential diagnosis 1(plasma ACTH)→ differential diagnosis 2(pituitary MRI/CRH/HD-DST/desmopressin)→ equivocal 時走 IPSS,最終導向 transsphenoidal pituitary surgery、locate ectopic ACTH source、或 adrenalectomy (Harrison 22e Fig. 398-10;PDF p.13-14)。

治療

類型治療
Cushing’s Disease經蝶竇手術(Transsphenoidal Surgery, TSS)→ 放療(效果延遲6個月-2年,有全pituitary功能低下風險)→ Bilateral adrenalectomy
Adrenal Adenoma/Tumor腹腔鏡adrenalectomy
Adrenal Carcinoma(ACC)見四、Adrenocortical Carcinoma
Ectopic ACTH治療原發腫瘤;藥物橋接控制cortisol
藥物控制(術前/無法手術)Steroidogenesis inhibitors:Ketoconazole、Metyrapone、Osilodrostat(11β-hydroxylase inhibitor;FDA 2020 核准 Cushing’s disease,2025 擴大至 endogenous hypercortisolemia / Cushing’s syndrome);pituitary-directed:Cabergoline、Pasireotide;Mifepristone(阻斷cortisol在GR的作用,控制hyperglycemia)

術後管理

  • TSS後需glucocorticoid替代 6–36個月(對側/殘餘 corticotroph 因長期高cortisol抑制須時間恢復,須逐步減量並監測至HPA軸恢復)
  • 單側/雙側 adrenalectomy 者:終身glucocorticoid(雙側另加)mineralocorticoid替代;單側切除後對側因長期抑制而萎縮,術後仍須補 hydrocortisone 直到 HPA 軸恢復,否則有 adrenal crisis 風險
  • ACTH stim test通過時間越快(< 12個月)→ 復發風險較高
  • 術前應評估 VTE 預防(hypercoagulable state);術後共病(HTN、hyperglycemia、hypokalemia)常隨cortisol來源移除而改善,降壓/降糖藥物常需減量(非增量)
  • 長期健康:即使治癒,health-related quality of life 與 cardiovascular/osteoporosis 風險可能因過去 cortisol exposure 程度與時間持續受影響


⚠️ Clinical Pearls

Cushing's最常見原因:exogenous corticosteroid(Exogenous);endogenous則是pituitaryACTH腺瘤(Cushing's Disease)

ODST(1mg Dex)後Cortisol<1.8 μg/dL:幾乎排除Cushing's

Ectopic ACTH(如SCLC):cortisol更高,低鉀代謝性alkalosis,病程快速

MACS(Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion)取代「subclinical Cushing's」:1mg ODST 後 cortisol > 1.8 µg/dL(>50 nmol/L)即是;須評估治療 HTN/T2DM/骨鬆等共病

Osilodrostat(Isturisa):11β-hydroxylase inhibitor,FDA 2020 核准 Cushing's disease(2025 擴大適應症)

🎯 內專考點

  • Cushing 的blood cell與thrombosis:glucocorticoid 過量造成 neutrophilia + lymphopenia(不是WBC減少),並增加 DVT/PE 與infection風險。 ﹝考 114-101
  • Iatrogenic Cushing 的 ACTH/cortisol:exogenous steroid → ACTH 被抑制(低)、內源 cortisol 低;若 ACTH 與 cortisol「皆高」就不是醫源性。 ﹝考 114-103
  • ACTH-dependent Cushing:pituitary瘤 vs 異位性 ACTH 鑑別細節:①性別——Cushing disease 女性居多(約 3–4:1),異位性(支氣管類癌/SCLC)男性比例較高;②病程——pituitary瘤較緩,異位性進展快、常見嚴重 hypokalemic myopathy、體重減輕、hyperpigmentation;③ACTH 濃度——異位性平均約為pituitary瘤的 8 倍,但範圍重疊高,單憑 ACTH 不能鑑別;④hypokalemia——異位性遠較常見(pituitary瘤僅約 10%)。 ﹝考 112-098
  • IPSS(下岩竇採樣)判讀基礎中心:周邊 ACTH 比 > 2、CRH 刺激後 > 3 → 支持pituitary(中樞)來源,sensitivity/specificity高(約 > 90–95%);比值低 → 異位性。是pituitary vs 異位鑑別的金標準。 ﹝考 112-098
  • 單側 adrenalectomy 治 ACTH-independent Cushing:術後必補 glucocorticoid:長期高cortisol會抑制對側adrenal與 HPA 軸,患側切除後對側萎縮無法立即接手 → 術後須補 hydrocortisone 並逐步減量,監測至 HPA 軸恢復(常需數月以上),否則發生 adrenal crisis。 ﹝考 110-100
  • Cushing 屬高凝血狀態 → VTE/PE 風險升高:高cortisol使凝血因子(VIII、vWF、fibrinogen)↑、纖溶↓,圍術期 DVT/PE 風險明顯升高,須評估預防。 ﹝考 110-100
  • LDDST 判讀切點:低劑量 dexamethasone(0.5 mg q6h × 2 天)抑制試驗後,serum cortisol < 50 nmol/L(≈1.8 µg/dL)可先排除 Cushing’s syndrome(正常受抑制);未受抑制才續查病因。 ﹝考 111-099
  • Cushing’s disease 多為 microadenoma:約 90% 為 < 1 cm 的微腺瘤(非「40% > 1 cm」),故 pituitary MRI 常陰性、需靠 IPSS 定位。 ﹝考 111-099

🔗 相關筆記


📚 References

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  2. Nieman LK, et al. Endocrine Society Cushing’s Syndrome Diagnosis Guideline — J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2008;93(5):1526-1540(治療版:Nieman LK, et al. JCEM 2015;100(8):2807-2831)
  3. Funder JW, et al. Endocrine Society Primary Aldosteronism Guideline — J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2016;101(5):1889-1916
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  5. 🆕 Fassnacht M, et al. ESE/ENSAT Clinical Practice Guidelines: Management of Adrenal Incidentalomas(含 MACS 定義、HU≤10 benign判定) — Eur J Endocrinol 2023;189(1):G1-G42. PMID: 37318239 | DOI
  6. Osilodrostat(Isturisa)FDA 核准 — Cushing’s disease 2020/03;endogenous hypercortisolemia(Cushing’s syndrome)擴大適應症 2025(來源:FDA / Recordati)
  7. Nieman LK. Cushing’s Syndrome Review — NEJM 2015;373(18):1737-1753
  8. Pocket Medicine 9th Edition — Endocrinology, pp. 519–527
  9. 🆕 Arlt W, Prete A. Disorders of the Adrenal Cortex. In: Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. 22nd ed. Ch. 398. (Chapter 398_ Disorders of the Adrenal Cortex.pdf)
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  11. Claahsen-Van Der Grinten HL, et al. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia: Current insights in pathophysiology, diagnostics, and management. Endocr Rev 2022;43:91. PMID: 33961029.
  12. Wu X, et al. [¹¹C]metomidate PET-CT versus adrenal vein sampling for diagnosing surgically curable primary aldosteronism: a prospective, within-patient trial. Nat Med 2023;29:190. PMID: 36646800.
  13. Merke DP, Auchus RJ. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency. N Engl J Med 2020;383:1248. PMID: 32966723.
  14. 🆕 Vaidya A, Findling J, Bancos I. Adrenal Insufficiency in Adults: A Review. JAMA. 2025;334(8):714-725. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.5485

最後更新:2026-08-05(整合 JAMA 2025 Review「Adrenal Insufficiency in Adults」(Vaidya et al.):三型AI機轉對照圖、病因總覽表、診斷/治療對照總表、初步診斷流程圖、更完整 stress-dose glucocorticoid 分級表、Glucocorticoid Withdrawal Syndrome 子題、cortisol-binding protein 異常子題,5 張原始圖表)

最後更新:2026-08-05(整合 Harrison 22e Ch.398 全文:新增 Adrenocortical Carcinoma 與 Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia 兩章、Glucocorticoid-Induced AI 子題、AI/Cushing’s/PA 診斷演算法圖、9 張原始圖表)

最後更新:2026-06-15(整合 2023 ESE/ENSAT adrenal incidentaloma 指引—MACS、HU≤10;osilodrostat 適應症;Pocket Medicine 9th Ed.)