Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2022) 81 P430 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.81.P430

1Università “Federico II” di Napoli, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Naples, Italy; 2University-Hospital of Padova, Endocrinology Unit, Department of Medicine, DIMED, Padua, Italy; 3Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Endocrinology Unit, Milan, Italy; 4University of Messina, Endocrine Unit, University Hospital ’G. Martino’, Department of Human Pathology of Adulthood and Childhood ’G. Barresi’DETEV, Messina, Italy; 5IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Endocrinology Unit, Genoa, Italy; 6Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico “Gemelli” IRCCS, Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Rome, Italy; 7University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, Division of Internal Medicine, Turin, Italy; 8Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ospedali Riuniti di Ancona, Clinica di Endocrinologia e Malattie del Metabolismo, Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e Molecolari (DISCLIMO), Ancona, Italy; 9Università degli studi di Palermo, Dipartimento di Promozione della Salute, Materno-Infantile, di Medicina Interna e Specialistica di Eccellenza “G. D’Alessandro“, UOC di Malattie endocrine, del Ricambio e della Nutrizione, Palermo, Italy; 10University of Milan, Department of Medical Sciences and Community Health, Milan, Italy; 11University of Naples Federico II, Department of Neuroscience, Naples, Italy; 12Unesco Chair for Health Education and Sustainable Development, Federico II University, Naples, Italy


During the spring of 2020, a national lockdown was adopted in Italy to prevent COVID-19 pandemic spread. Restrictive measures have been associated with impaired psychological outcome in the general population. As patients with Cushing’s Syndrome (CS), including Cushing’s disease (CD), adrenal CS (ACS), and ectopic CS (ECS), are reportedly associated with a higher prevalence of anxiety, stress susceptibility, depression, and maniac episodes, during both active disease and remission, a higher psychological vulnerability during lockdowns cannot be excluded. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the presence of psychological impairment in CS patients associated with the Italian national lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, as compared with healthy subjects. The study enrolled 156 CS patients (134 CD, 18 ACS, 4 ECS; 118 F, 38 M; age: 21-70 yrs) and 156 age-, sex-, and education level-matched healthy subjects. General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were telematically and anonymously administered to study participants during the last three weeks of Italian national lockdown. Higher scores of GAD-7, PSS and PHQ-9 indicated higher anxiety, perceived stress and depression. Demographic, social, and clinical information were also collected for a correlation with the psychological status. Comparing CS patients and healthy subjects, no significant differences were observed neither in the questionnaires scores nor in the prevalence of general anxiety, high perceived stress, and depression. In CS patients, higher GAD-7, PSS, and PHQ9 scores were contemporary observed in females (P≤0.01), higher GAD-7 and PSS scores were contemporary observed in patients <50 yrs (P<0.05), whereas isolated higher PSS scores were observed in patients with lower educational levels (P≤0.02), currently under glucocorticoid (GC) replacement therapy (P=0.017), and going out from home less than once a week during national lockdown (P≤0.03). Considering CS patients currently treated with medical therapy, isolated higher GAD-7 scores were observed in patients currently treated with pituitary-directed drugs (P=0.005 vs adrenal-directed drugs). In conclusion, although CS patients did not suffer increased psychological morbidity, namely general anxiety, stress perception and depressive status, compared to healthy subjects during Italian national lockdown, an increased psychological morbidity may be observed in CS patients with some specific clinical characteristics, namely female sex, age < 50 yrs, lower educational levels, with strict adherence to restrictive measures, as well as in CS patients currently under GC replacement treatment or pituitary-directed drugs. Therefore, an empowered, focused psychological follow-up may be required in these CS patients during national lockdowns.

Volume 81

European Congress of Endocrinology 2022

Milan, Italy
21 May 2022 - 24 May 2022

European Society of Endocrinology 

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