Endocrine Abstracts

Chronic cortisol excess as a consequence of ACTH overproduction from a pituitary tumour is responsible for the development of Cushing’s disease (CD). The first-line treatment for CD is pituitary surgery, but medical treatment is an alternative second-line approach to control cortisol excess. Among pharmacological agents, the adrenal-blocking drug ketoconazole (KT), is able to control cortisol excess in the majority of patients with CD. During KT treatment, the adrenal blo...

Cushing’s syndrome (CS) is a rare endocrine disease caused by a chronic exposure to endogenous cortisol or exogenous glucocorticoids (GCs). Among multiple comorbidities, impairment of skeletal muscle mass and strength affects 40–70% of patients with active CS and persist even after long-term disease remission. In pathological conditions, GCs excess sustain muscle atrophy and weakness affecting type II muscle fibers. Muscle-specific microRNAs, defined myomiRs, are in...