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CUSHING'S SYNDROME |
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iatrogenic [steroid treatment; commonest cause; low ACTH] |
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Cushing's disease [high ACTH; cortisol suppressed with high-dose dexa, but not low-dose]: |
pituitary adenoma hyperplasia of ACTH-producing cells |
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adrenal tumours [low / undetectable ACTH; cortisol not suppressed with high-dose dexa]: |
adenoma carcinoma |
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adrenal hyperplasia [cortisol suppressed with low-dose dexa] |
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ectopic ACTH production [very high ACTH; pigmentation much more prominent; usually paraneoplastic syndrome caused by bronchial carcinoma (esp. oat cell); also thymus, ovary, pancreas, thyroid] |
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pseudo-Cushing's syndrome in alcoholic liver disease |
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