Table 1.
Comparison of group A (pathology-proven) vs group B (pathology-unproven)
| Characteristic | Pathology-proven CD (n = 84) Group A |
Pathology-unproven CD (n = 6) Group B |
P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean age, y (±SD) | 43 (15) | 49 (17) | 0.33 |
| Female sex, n (%) | 72 (86) | 5 (83) | 1.00 |
| Mean preoperative BMI (±SD) | 33 (6.9) | 28(5.5) | 0.07 |
| Prior surgery, n (±SD) | 27 (32) | 2 (33) | 1.00 |
| Signs and symptoms, n (%) | |||
| Weight gain (n = 90) | 81 (96) | 5 (83) | 0.25 |
| Fatigue (n = 39) | 31 (89) | 3 (75) | 0.44 |
| Hypertension (n = 89) | 56 (68) | 4 (67) | 1.00 |
| Diabetes (n = 88) | 26 (32) | 3 (50) | 0.39 |
| Irregular menstrual cycles (n = 4) | 4 (100) | 0 (0) | NA |
| Hirsutism (n = 23) | 20 (91) | 1 (100) | 1.000 |
| Violaceous striae (n = 21) | 12 (67) | 3 (100) | 0.52 |
| Easy bruising (n = 28) | 22 (82) | 1 (100) | 1.00 |
| Depression (n = 25) | 13 (57) | 1 (50) | 1.00 |
| Anxiety or psychosis (n = 22) | 13 (65) | 2 (100) | 1.00 |
| Laboratory and imaging | |||
| 24-h UFC LC-MS/MS (±SD) (n: 4-50 mcg/24 h) (n = 70) |
238.6 ± 33.0 | 114.8 ± 32.5 | 0.34 |
| LNSC LC/MS (±SD) (n: <0.09 mcg/dL) (n = 29) |
0.47 ± 0.09 | 0.10 ± 0.01 | 0.06 |
| Serum cortisol after 1 mg DST (±SD) (n: < 1.8 mcg/dL) (n = 41) |
17.9 ± 3.2 | 17.1 ± 5.0 | 0.57 |
| Plasma ACTH (±SD) (n = 87) |
62.2 ± 5.4 | 54.0 ± 15.6 | 0.65 |
| Pituitary lesion present on MRI, n (%) | 71 (85) | 5 (83) | 1.00 |
| Mean pituitary lesion size (±SD), mm | 9.5 (8.0) | 3.6 (1.9) | 0.11 |
Missing data were not included in the analysis. P values were obtained via nonparametric methods.
Abbreviations: 24-h UFC, 24-hour urinary free cortisol; BMI, body mass index; CD, Cushing disease; DST, dexamethasone stimulation test; LC-MS/MS, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectometry; LNSC, late night salivary cortisol; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; NA, not applicable; UFC, urinary free cortisol.