Sleep Disturbances in Patients With Cushing Syndrome and Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion

Posted on October 16, 2025 by MaryO

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, dgaf553, https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgaf553

Abstract

Context

The impact of active hypercortisolism on sleep is incompletely characterized. Studies report impaired sleep in patients with Cushing syndrome (CS). Patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) demonstrate mild nocturnal hypercortisolism that could impact sleep.

Objectives

To characterize sleep abnormalities in patients with CS and MACS using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), identify factors associated with poor sleep, and compare sleep abnormalities in patients with MACS versus referent subjects.

Methods

We conducted a single-center cross-sectional study of adults with active CS and MACS. Clinical and biochemical severity scores for hypercortisolism were calculated. Parallelly, we enrolled referent subjects. Quality of life was assessed using 1) Short Form-36 in all participants, and 2) Cushing QoL in patients with active hypercortisolism. Sleep quality was assessed using PSQI.

Results

PSQI was assessed in 154 patients with CS (mean 12, SD ±4.5), 194 patients with MACS (mean 11, SD 4.6), and 89 referents (mean 5, SD ±3.4). Patients with MACS exhibited shorter sleep duration, longer sleep latency, more severe daytime dysfunction, lower sleep efficiency, and a higher sleep medication use compared to referent subjects (P = <0.001 for all). Age-, sex, and BMI adjusted analysis demonstrated no differences in PSQI or its subcomponents between patients with CS and MACS (P >0.05 for all). In a multivariable analysis of patients with MACS, younger age, female sex and higher clinical hypercortisolism severity score were associated with impaired sleep. In patients with CS, only younger age was associated with poor sleep.

Conclusions

Patients with MACS demonstrate sleep impairment that is similar to patients with CS. Younger women with higher clinical severity of MACS are more likely to have impaired sleep.

Filed under: Cushing's, symptoms | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

Millennial Woman Hasn’t Slept the Night in 19 Months—Viewers Shocked Why

Posted on October 14, 2025 by MaryO

“I haven’t had a proper night’s sleep in 19 months,” Aleksa Diaz told Newsweek. “Even if I’m physically exhausted, I can’t fall asleep. I wake up more than ten times a night—fully conscious. I only get about two to four hours of broken sleep.”

The 30-year-old from Austin, Texas, has shared her experience on TikTok (@aleksaheals) earning 94,000 views. During the video, she points out that she has not “crashed” once and wonders how her body is continuing to function.

Diaz says that her insomnia began in January 2024 and is linked to a benign tumor in her pituitary gland—a small, hormone-producing gland at the base of the brain—known as a pituitary adenoma.

According to the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA), about 13,770 pituitary tumors are diagnosed each year in the U.S., accounting for roughly 17 percent of all primary tumors in the central nervous system (CNS).

Symptoms of Pituitary Tumors

Pituitary tumors and cysts typically arise from two main causes: pressure on the gland and surrounding structures, or overproduction of hormones. The severity and type of symptoms depend on the tumor’s size and the specific hormones involved.

The ABTA notes that when the tumor presses on the pituitary gland or nearby structures, it can lead to:

  • Headaches
  • Visual loss
  • Hair loss
  • Diminished libido
  • Weight fluctuations
  • Skin changes
  • Fatigue or low energy

Symptoms Caused by Excess Hormone Production

Approximately 70 percent of pituitary tumors are “secreting,” meaning they release excess hormones. These include:

  • Growth hormone: Overproduction can cause localized excess growth (‘acromegaly’) in adults and gigantism in children.
  • Prolactin: Leads to menstrual changes and abnormal milk production.
  • Sex hormones: Can cause menstrual irregularities and sexual dysfunction.
  • Thyroid hormones: Can trigger hyperthyroidism, with symptoms such as weight loss, heart rhythm changes, anxiety, bowel changes, fatigue, thinning skin and sleep problems.
  • Adrenal hormones: Excess can lead to Cushing’s disease, characterized by a moon-shaped face, excess body hair, easy bruising, menstrual irregularities and high blood pressure.

A Long Road to Diagnosis

Diaz told Newsweek that she has experienced many of these symptoms, beginning with severe hair loss at just 18.

“I started to feel off and suddenly began losing hair,” she recalled. “I was shedding over 300 hairs a day—just brushing my hair or running my fingers through it.”

Initially, doctors diagnosed her with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). “I didn’t have any other symptoms, but I just thought it must be what they said,” Diaz explained.

By the time she turned 22, the hair loss was severe and unrelenting.

“It wasn’t stopping,” she said. “I went to a dermatologist and had a brain MRI—then they found a 5mm tumor on my pituitary gland.”

Around the same time, Diaz began gaining weight that wouldn’t budge despite dieting and regular exercise.

“I developed depression and always had a puffy, inflamed face,” she said. “The hair loss was causing me a lot of self-esteem issues.”

Over the years, Diaz’s symptoms multiplied—dry skin, dry eyes, low libido, anxiety, twitching legs and hip pain after exercise. She estimates she has consulted around 40 doctors and spent 500–600 hours researching her condition.

In 2018, she was formally diagnosed with a pituitary adenoma and prescribed metformin to lower hormone levels. “They told me to wait and see,” she said. When her insomnia worsened, Diaz suspected the tumor was causing multiple hormone-related conditions, but doctors did not confirm it.

By January 2024, she noticed new symptoms: vaginal dryness, hip pain and worsening sleep. Tests revealed her estrogen was abnormally low for her age.

“I take medication for that now and progesterone too,” she said. After years of trying everything—dermatologists, supplements and expensive hair treatments—she finally saw some hair regrowth.

Still, Diaz’s diagnosis of hypopituitarism means her pituitary gland underproduces several critical hormones.

The ABTA notes that doctors often recommend monitoring small tumors, since they typically grow slowly and cause no symptoms. But Diaz, whose tumor is 5 mm, disagrees.

She said: “Doctors believe that because the tumor is under 1 cm it can’t possibly be causing enough symptoms to risk doing surgery. The main risk is developing another hormone deficiency post-op.

“However, surgeons who do this surgery say it’s routine and not super risky, so it’s confusing as a patient.

“Cases like mine of mild hypopituitarism are often ignored, leading to a slow progression of hormone deficiencies—the very thing that is a risk of surgery.”

When she was 29, Diaz started taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT)—a treatment that replaces female hormones, mainly estrogen and progesterone, which fall to low levels during menopause.

She told Newsweek: “Doctors don’t understand why I’m basically in menopause. We don’t know the risks of long-term HRT. The medications make me feel better, but it’s not safe as a long-term solution.”

Living with the Emotional Toll

Alongside her physical symptoms, Diaz has developed severe depression and feels “literally running on empty.”

“I feel like I have hope for the future only when I manage a decent night’s sleep,” she said. “I don’t want to see anyone or socialize. I haven’t gone out in six months. It’s affected my job—I was almost fired in March.

“I’ve become very forgetful, I miss meetings and tasks and I sometimes can’t remember what I did yesterday. It’s like I have severe ADHD, but it’s not.”

A Call for Change in Treatment

Now financially and emotionally exhausted, Diaz fears what will happen if she continues to be denied further testing or surgical treatment.

“I’m worried something will happen to me,” she said. “I’ve reached my limit financially. My physical and mental health are exhausted.”

Diaz believes her struggle is far from unique. “From the time you have symptoms to when you get a diagnosis it can take 10 years,” she said.

“A lot of women have expressed they don’t feel like they are being taken seriously—and that has been my experience. Being young is a disadvantage. I’m on six medications now to manage my hormones. I’ve lost weight and my hair is growing back, so doctors think I must be fine. But they don’t see what’s really going on.”

Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about pituitary tumors? Let us know via health@newsweek.com.

https://www.newsweek.com/millennial-woman-sleep-insomnia-pituitary-tumor-10821739

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The Impact of Adrenalectomy On Metabolic Outcomes of Patients Wwth Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion Defined by Low-Dose Dexamethasone Suppression Testing

Posted on October 12, 2025 by MaryO

Abstract

Background

Up to 50% of patients with adrenal incidentalomas have mild autonomous cortisol secretion, which may increase their cardiometabolic morbidity, compared with patients with nonfunctional adrenal tumors. Studies evaluating cardiometabolic outcomes of patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion defined by 1-mg dexamethasone suppression testing (cortisol 1.8–5 μg/dL) have demonstrated mixed results. The aim of this study was to assess the metabolic outcomes of patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion, defined by the 1-mg dexamethasone suppression testing criterion, compared with patients with nonfunctional adrenal tumors who underwent adrenalectomy.

Methods

We conducted a single-institution retrospective cohort study comparing adult patients who underwent unilateral adrenalectomy from November 30, 2011, to August 19, 2023, for mild autonomous cortisol secretion (1-mg dexamethasone suppression testing cortisol 1.8–5 μg/dL) or nonfunctional adrenal tumors (1-mg dexamethasone suppression testing cortisol <1.8 μg/dL). Preoperative prevalences and postoperative changes in diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and elevated body mass index (≥25) were assessed. Patients were followed from the time of surgery until their last outpatient visit. Multivariable logistic regression was pursued for outcomes that varied between cohorts.

Results

A total of 65 patients (53 mild autonomous cortisol secretion and 12 nonfunctional adrenal tumors) were analyzed. Patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion were older and more likely to have diabetes mellitus than patients with nonfunctional adrenal tumors (odds ratio: 7.81, 95% confidence interval [0.94, 64.96], P = .04). Patients were followed for a median of 28.1 months [11.1, 55.3 months]. Patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion were more likely to have postoperative weight improvement (odds ratio: 8.31, [0.97, 71.14], P = .03). After adjusting for clinically relevant variables, the 1-mg dexamethasone suppression testing cortisol was predictive of postoperative weight improvement (odds ratio: 1.88, [1.1, 3.65], P = .04).

Conclusion

Weight loss should be considered as a potential benefit of adrenalectomy in patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion.

Introduction

Mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) is the most common hormonal abnormality diagnosed in patients with adrenal incidentalomas, impacting 20%–50% of patients.1 Patients with MACS have biochemical evidence of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-independent hypercortisolism but lack clinical stigmata commonly associated with overt hypercortisolism, such as facial plethora, abdominal adiposity, extremity weakness and wasting, and/or violaceous striae.2 Overt hypercortisolism is well recognized to cause cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and metabolic disorders, which have variable resolution even after diagnosis and treatment.3 There is a growing body of evidence that patients with MACS also have increased cardiometabolic morbidity and mortality compared with patients with nonfunctional adrenal tumors,4 but this evidence is challenging to interpret given wide variability in diagnostic criteria that have historically been used.5, 6, 7
Recent guidelines have suggested that a diagnosis of MACS be applied to all patients with a morning (AM) serum cortisol of >1.8 μg/dL after low-dose (1-mg) dexamethasone suppression testing (DST) who lack overt features of hypercortisolism.8,9 However, prior studies comparing cardiometabolic outcomes between patients with MACS and nonfunctional adrenal tumors as well as between patients who underwent operative and nonoperative management have used a 1-mg DST AM serum cortisol of 1.8–5.0 μg/dL as a definition of mild (“subclinical”) hypercortisolism.10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 Given that these studies have demonstrated mixed results,4 the primary aim of this study was to assess the metabolic outcomes of patients with MACS, as defined by a 1-mg DST AM cortisol of 1.8–5.0 μg/dL, compared with patients with nonfunctional adrenal tumors who underwent adrenalectomy.

Section snippets

Methods

This was a single-institution retrospective cohort study of patients aged ≥18 years who underwent initial unilateral adrenalectomy from November 30, 2011, to August 19, 2023. Patients were identified through a prospectively maintained database of all patients who underwent adrenalectomy at the study institution. Patients were excluded if they had a 1-mg DST AM serum cortisol of >5 μg/dL, ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism, primary aldosteronism, pheochromocytoma, primary bilateral macronodular

Results

Of the 460 patients who underwent adrenalectomy during the study period, 53 patients met criteria for MACS and 12 patients for nonfunctional adrenal tumors, yielding a cohort of 65 patients. Patients with MACS were older than those with nonfunctional adrenal tumors (MACS, median 60 years [IQR: 54, 68 years] vs nonfunctional adrenal tumors, 49 years [37, 57 years], P = .02) but were similar by sex, race, ethnicity, BMI, nodule size, laterality, and surgical approach (Table II). Among patients

Discussion

MACS is the most common hormonal abnormality diagnosed in patients with adrenal incidentalomas. Despite lacking clinical stigmata of overt hypercortisolism, patients with MACS appear to have increased cardiometabolic morbidity and mortality similar to patients with overt hypercortisolism. The optimal management of MACS is debated, and prior studies using a 1-mg DST AM serum cortisol of 1.8–5.0 μg/dL as a definition of mild hypercortisolism have demonstrated mixed results. Hence, this study

Funding/Support

This project is funded in part by the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment at the Medical College of Wisconsin. This publication was supported by the National Center for Research Resources and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), through grant number UL1TR001436. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. The grant supports the creation and maintenance of

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Alexa Lisevick Kumar: Writing – original draft, Visualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Data curation, Conceptualization. Sophie Dream: Writing – review & editing, Validation, Supervision, Methodology, Investigation. Tahseen Shaik: Resources, Project administration, Investigation, Data curation. Kara Doffek: Resources, Project administration, Investigation, Data curation. Ryan Conrardy: Writing – review & editing, Methodology, Formal analysis. James W. Findling: Writing – review & editing,

Conflict of Interest/Disclosure

Dr Findling reports consulting for Corcept, Diurnal, Crinetics and serving as an investigator for Recordati. The rest of the authors reported no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

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Filed under: adrenal, Clinical trials | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

A Preliminary Model to Tailor Osilodrostat In Patients With Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH)-Dependent Cushing’s syndrome

Posted on October 10, 2025 by MaryO

Abstract

Over the past 10 years, osilodrostat has become one of the most commonly used steroidogenesis inhibitors in patients with Cushing’s syndrome. The starting dose is usually determined based on the product characteristics, the prescriber’s experience, and cortisol levels. However, no study has attempted to determine whether there was a dose–response relationship between osilodrostat and cortisol reduction. In this study, we developed a preliminary kinetic–pharmacodynamic model to tailor osilodrostat in patients with Adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH)-dependent Cushing’s syndrome. We first analyzed the decrease in cortisol 48 hours after initiation or dose change of osilodrostat in 18 patients. Simulations were then performed for different doses of osilodrostat to evaluate the variation in cortisol concentrations. Our results report the first dose–response relationship between osilodrostat dose and cortisol levels, which should be helpful in identifying the optimal dosing regimen in patients with Cushing’s syndrome and in individualizing treatment to approximate a nychthemeral rhythm.

osilodrostat, Cushing’s syndrome, Cushing’s disease, cortisol, adrenal insufficiency
Issue Section:

Brief Report

Significance

The current preliminary study is a first step in trying to better understand the effect of osilodrostat on cortisol, which should help determine the optimal dose for each patient.

Introduction

Cushing’s syndrome is a rare condition in which increased cortisol levels lead to a wide range of comorbidities and increased mortality. Surgery is usually regarded as the first-line and most effective treatment.1 In some cases, cortisol-lowering drugs are necessary, mainly after failed surgery.2,3 Among several steroidogenesis inhibitors such as ketoconazole and metyrapone,4,5 osilodrostat, which acts through inhibition of 11β-hydroxylase, is now being considered an effective drug in controlling cortisol hypersecretion. Initially designed as a CYP11B2 inhibitor, the study by Ménard et al.6 involving both animal models and healthy human subjects showed that osilodrostat reduced cortisol levels from a dose of 1 mg/day, while lower doses exerted an anti-aldosterone effect. Since then, several clinical trials and retrospective studies emphasized its efficacy in all etiologies of Cushing’s syndrome.7-9 While the usual recommended starting dose is 2 mg twice a day, precise studies on the short-term effect of osilodrostat on plasma cortisol are lacking. These data could, however, be of interest to tailor the treatment. Moreover, baseline urinary free cortisol (UFC) level is not able to predict response to osilodrostat.10 Taking advantage of serial cortisol measurements performed in inpatient clinics in our center at the time osilodrostat became available, we developed a pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic model of plasma cortisol variation as a function of osilodrostat dose in patients with Adrenocorticotropin-hormone (ACTH)-dependent Cushing’s syndrome.

Patients and methods

Clinical data and hormonal measurements

We retrospectively included patients with ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome, who had serial measurements of plasma cortisol (every 4 hours for 24 hours) before and after the first osilodrostat dose between 2019 and 2024. These measurements were part of our standard of care approach when osilodrostat became available in our tertiary expert center as a thorough evaluation of the efficacy and tolerance of a new drug. The initial dose ranged from 2 to 15 mg/day, depending on the severity of hypercortisolism. Subsequently, osilodrostat dose was gradually adjusted based on the successive cortisol measurements described above. Sex, age at diagnosis, and etiologies were recorded, as well as plasma cortisol measurements 48 hours after the initiation or any change in the osilodrostat dose and time elapsed since change of dose and last administration were recorded. All plasma cortisol measurements were performed with the same Elecsys II Cortisol, Cobas (Roche Diagnostics) assay in the hormonal laboratory of our center; cross-reactivity with 11-deoxycortisol is 4.9%. According to our institutional policy, this retrospective study did not require specific signed informed consent from patients as the data collected were anonymized. It was thus approved by the Ethics Committee of Assistance Publique—Hopitaux de Marseille (RGPD PADS reference RUXXX2). The current study complies with the Declaration of Helsinki.

Pharmacokinetics and statistical analysis

The pharmacodynamic parameters of osilodrostat on cortisol concentrations were analyzed using a kinetic–pharmacodynamic (PD) model in the software Nonlinear Mixed Effects Modeling version 7.4 (NONMEM Icon Development Solutions, Ellicott City, MD, United States). PK analysis from a previously published study6 was used to predict plasma concentration in our patients. The PK parameters were described in the article, and mean concentration values were obtained by digitizing the graph of osilodrostat vs time using the software WebPlotDigitizer version 4.2.11 With these data, a one-compartment population PK model was used to predict osilodrostat concentrations for different dosing regimens. Direct and indirect relationship between osilodrostat-predicted concentration and variation of cortisol concentrations were evaluated to consider a delay. The variation of cortisol concentrations was calculated with reference to a session without treatment. Several functions were tested to describe the relationship such as linear and sigmoidal. Model selection and evaluation were done by the likelihood ratio test (objective function), goodness-of-fit plots (observed vs predicted variation of cortisol concentrations, observed vs individual predictions, normalized prediction distribution errors vs time and variation of cortisol predictions), bootstrap, and visual predictive checks. Graphical analysis was performed with the R software version 4.4.012 using the ggplot2 package.13 Simulations were performed for different doses of osilodrostat to evaluate the variation on cortisol concentrations using the package rxode2.14

Results

Of the patients who were prescribed osilodrostat at least once between 2019 and 2024, 18 were presenting ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome, 12 women (66.6%) and 6 men (33.3%). Mean age was 53.2 ± 15 years. The cause of Cushing’s syndrome was Cushing’s disease in 16 patients (88.9%), ectopic ACTH secretion in 1 patient (5.6%), and ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism of uncertain diagnosis in 1 patient (5.6%). Clinical characteristics are presented in Table 1. It should be noted that none of the patients included were Asian.

 

 

Table 1.

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Clinical characteristics of patients with all included patients and differentiated according to gender.

All patientsa Women Men
Age at diagnosis 53.2 ± 15 54 ± 17.2 51.5 ± 10.5
Weight 81.7 ± 13.7 79.5 ± 12.7 86.2 ± 15.6
% of CD 88.9 83.3 100
ULN of 24 hour UFC 4.4 ± 8.3 5.5 ± 10.3 2.5 ± 1.8
Osilodrostat starting dose 3.3 ± 2.2 3.7 ± 2.4 2.5 ± 1.4
Cortisol before osilodrostat intake 422.9 ± 159.2 414.7 ± 176.6 439.4 ± 130.7
Cortisol 4 hour after osilodrostat 404 ± 165.6 408.2 ± 200.1 395.5 ± 70.8

 

Abbreviations: CD, Cushing’s disease; ULN, upper limit range; UFC, urinary free cortisol.

aOf note, none of the included patients were Asian.

In their article, Ménard et al.6 showed that the dose–exposure relationship was not strictly proportional. A one-compartment model was enhanced by increasing the relative bioavailability with the dose and was estimated that the dose resulting in a 50% increase in bioavailability was 1.06 mg. The PK parameters derived from Ménard et al.6 were fixed and used to predict osilodrostat concentration in our patients. A direct relationship between the predicted osilodrostat concentrations and variation of cortisol concentrations (%) gave a better fit than an indirect model. The drug effect was modeled with the following sigmoidal function (Eq. 1);

(1)

where Imax is the maximal inhibition and IC50 is the apparent half-maximal inhibitory concentration.

The estimated PD parameters were IC50 and Imax. Their values as well as the relative standard errors (RSE%) and the corresponding bootstrap IC50 are shown in Table 2. Final parameters were used to simulate n = 500 profiles following a single dose of osilodrostat.

 

 

 

Table 2.

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Pharmacodynamic parameters of osilodrostat’s effects on the variation of cortisol concentrations.

Parameters Unit Estimation RSE% Bootstrap
0.025 0.975
KA (fixed)a 1/hour 4.03 — — —
CL/F (fixed)a L/hour 18.3 — — —
V/F (fixed)a L 125 — —
Imax % 44.5 18.7 12.51 90.9
IC50 mg/L 0.011 37.4 0.0001 0.10
Interindividual variability (ω)
 Imax 0.40 30.9 0.003 1.86
 IC50 3.78 41.0 0.003 9.22
Residual unexplained variability (σ)
 Additive % 23.8 12.2 18.2 29.9

 

Abbreviations: CL/F, apparent clearance; IC50, osilodrostat concentration associated with half the maximal inhibition of the cortisol variation; Imax, maximum inhibitory effect of osilodrostat on the variation of cortisol; KA, first-order absorption rate constant; RSE, relative standard error; V/F, apparent volume of distribution.

 

aAdapted from Ménard et al.6

The effects on plasma cortisol variation are depicted in Figure 1. Cortisol concentration declines during the first hour after taking osilodrostat, from 24% for a 1 mg dose to over 42% for a 20 mg dose. Thereafter, from the first hour onward, cortisol increases progressively, with loss of treatment efficacy occurring around the 10th-15th hour for 1 and 2 mg, while for doses above 5 mg, a moderate effect persists over the following hours. Figure 2 shows the variation in cortisol concentration for a 2 mg dose, with median decrease in cortisol variation of 31%, ranging from 0% to 67.5%, with, as mentioned above, a maximum effect 1 hour after osilodrostat intake, and a progressive increase in cortisol levels, mainly during the 12 hours following treatment. The same analysis for 10 mg revealed a median reduction in cortisol of 38%, ranging from 5% to 80%. Figure 3 describes the relationship between osilodrostat concentration and cortisol variation, showing that the maximum effect corresponds to the maximum concentration and that a decrease in osilodrostat concentration results in an increase in cortisol level.

Relationship between time since last administration of osilodrostat and cortisol concentrations.

Figure 1.

Relationship between time since last administration of osilodrostat and cortisol concentrations.

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Visual predictive variation on cortisol concentrations following 2 or 10 mg osilodrostat administration.

Figure 2.

Visual predictive variation on cortisol concentrations following 2 or 10 mg osilodrostat administration.

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Relation between osilodrostat concentration and cortisol variation.

Figure 3.

Relation between osilodrostat concentration and cortisol variation.

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Discussion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that attempts to define a dose/efficacy relationship between osilodrostat dose and the variation of plasma cortisol. First, our results suggest that the effect of osilodrostat appears immediately after the peak of concentration, 1 hour after treatment intake, which highlights the parallel evolution of osilodrostat and cortisol concentrations. This is unusual, as typically effect peak takes few hours, following concentration peak.15 The relationship between osilodrostat concentration and the effect on cortisol is not linear but sigmoidal with a rapid increase in concentrations producing a rapid significant effect, leading to a maximal effect. Because elimination is a slower process than absorption, the effect’s decline will also be slower: this means that efficiency remains stable during the first 5 hours, with a further progressive increase of cortisol and a loss of efficiency around 10-15 hours after intake. This confirms the need for two intakes per day, with one early in the morning and the other 12 hours later in the evening. In addition, even if our simulation suggests a wide interindividual variability, we were able to determine the impact of different doses of osilodrostat on the percent decrease in plasma cortisol levels. For instance, 20 mg osilodrostat leads to an estimated 42% decrease in cortisol concentration. Interestingly, Ferrari et al.16 recently showed that patients controlled with two doses of osilodrostat for at least 1 month had the same efficacy with a single intake (combing both doses) at 4 or 7 Pm. This is quite surprising and will need to be evaluated in future studies: our preliminary model could give more precise information on this point.

Cushing’s syndrome is also characterized by a loss of circadian rhythm leading to increased comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.17,18 This is why 24 hour UFC can only be considered an imperfect marker of glucocorticoid overexposure even though it is an easy-to-use marker, as exemplified by its use in all the clinical trials performed on cortisol-lowering drugs.7,8,10,19 Predicting the efficacy of osilodrostat on plasma cortisol might be helpful to tailor the treatment as a titrating approach. Of note, some studies suggested that there might be an inpatient variability of cortisol secretion in Cushing’s syndrome,20 and this might account for a bias in our results. However, none of our patients had cyclical Cushing’s syndrome. Moreover, 12 patients in our cohort had at least two cortisol cycles (every 4 hours during the day) before starting treatment. A comparison of these two cycles using Student’s t-test showed no significant difference (P = .7), indicating no obvious spontaneous variability. Our preliminary report gives interesting insights into the maximal efficacy expected for a single dose of osilodrostat, thus defining the initial dosage needed to rapidly control hypercortisolism, as opposed to the dose currently recommended by the manufacturer (2 mg twice daily). Thus, our results could help define an optimal dose in the morning, but also in the evening, with the aim of re-establishing a circadian profile. This will, however, have to be confirmed on an interventional study focusing on comorbidities, quality of life and their potential improvements while using this PK model.

The main limitation of this proof-of-concept study is the large CI. This may be due to the relatively low number of patients and the fact that cortisol was measured every 4 hours instead of every hour, but also to the large variability in efficacy between subjects. Due to the number of patients included in the analysis, it was not possible to investigate further if a covariate, such as the gender, may explain these differences between individuals. It is important to highlight that although our model predicts cortisol levels 1 hour post intake as the most reliable predictor of future efficacy, cortisol measurements were taken every 4 hours. Thus, this finding should be confirmed in prospective studies with more frequent cortisol measurements, particularly 1 hour after osilodrostat administration. While the kinetic–pharmacodynamic approach used in this study can present with some inherent limitations, this type of approach is regularly used to define the modalities of use for a medication in a new indication. A nonlinear mixed-effects modeling allows the use of data from the routine clinical follow-up of patients. This method is thus effective and particularly well-suited for sparse data. Finally, a larger study could include closer measurements of cortisol. Liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is the best method for avoiding cross-reactivity with steroid precursors and could be used for these measurements. However, we used the Elecsys Cortisol II Immunoassay, which shows <5% cross-reactivity with 11-deoxycortisol; thus, our results are credible.

In conclusion, we designed a kinetic–pharmacodynamic model to adapt osilodrostat in patients with ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome. Our model shows that cortisol level 1 hour after treatment is the best indicator of future efficacy. Moreover, depending on the initial cortisol level and the goal to be achieved, different doses should be prescribed. Despite wide inter-patient variability, we believe our model provides insight into the minimal dose necessary to decrease cortisol levels and the maximal efficacy expected for a given dose. Thus, it should help physicians tailor the treatment to reach maximal efficacy in the shortest possible time. The next step will be to analyze whether this percent decrease remains stable on a long-term basis or becomes more important with time, as suggested by some clinical cases showing delayed adrenal insufficiency on stable doses of osilodrostat.21

Authors’ contributions

Cecilia Piazzola (Conceptualization [equal], Formal analysis [equal], Writing—original draft [equal]), Frederic Castinetti (Conceptualization [equal], Formal analysis [equal], Writing—review & editing [equal]), Katharina von Fabeck (Conceptualization [equal], Writing—review & editing [equal]), and Nicolas Simon (Conceptualization [equal], Methodology [equal], Supervision [equal], Validation [equal], Writing—original draft [equal], Writing—review & editing [equal])

Funding

This work received an unrestricted educational grant from Recordati Rare Diseases.

To see the references and the original article, please go here: https://academic.oup.com/ejendo/article/193/4/K11/8255719?login=false

 

Filed under: adrenal crisis, Clinical trials, Cushing's, pituitary, Treatments | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

A Silent Invader: Asymptomatic Rhodococcus Infection Unmasked In a Patient With Ectopic ACTH-Dependent Cushing’s Syndrome

Posted on October 8, 2025 by MaryO

Introduction: Rhodococcus species, particularly Rhodococcus equi, are rare opportunistic pathogens that typically affect immunocompromised individuals. These infections usually present with respiratory or systemic symptoms and are often linked to environmental exposure. Asymptomatic Rhodococcus infections are exceedingly rare and pose unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.

Case description: We report the case of a 29-year-old male who presented with new-onset diabetes mellitus, resistant hypertension and significant weight gain. Physical examination revealed features consistent with Cushing’s syndrome. Biochemical evaluation confirmed ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism with an elevated plasma ACTH level, and a lack of suppression on high-dose dexamethasone testing; imaging identified a suspicious pulmonary nodule. Bronchoscopic biopsy revealed no malignancy, however cultures grew Rhodococcus species. The patient denied any respiratory symptoms or environmental exposure. Initial antibiotic therapy with ciprofloxacin and rifampin was started. Follow-up imaging showed rapid enlargement of the pulmonary mass, prompting surgical resection. Histopathology revealed malakoplakia, and repeat cultures again yielded Rhodococcus spp. Antibiotics were adjusted to azithromycin and rifampin, and the patient was started on ketoconazole to manage hypercortisolism.

Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of considering opportunistic infections such as Rhodococcus spp. in immunocompromised patients, even in the absence of symptoms. It underscores the diagnostic value of investigating incidental findings in such populations and illustrates the need for prompt, multidisciplinary management to prevent disease progression.

References

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From https://www.ejcrim.com/index.php/EJCRIM/article/view/5711

Filed under: Cushing's, Rare Diseases, symptoms | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a comment »

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