Altered Microbiome Signature in Cushing's Syndrome Persists Beyond Remission.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Prospective longitudinal cohort study with pre/post-intervention follow-up and control groups
PubMed 39715347 · doi:10.1210/clinem/dgae887
What was done
Researchers prospectively analyzed stool samples from 18 patients with endogenous Cushing's syndrome (13 pituitary etiology) during active hypercortisolism and 1 to 2 years post-surgical biochemical remission. Microbial profiles generated via 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V3/V4 region) were compared against 36 obese controls (Cushing's excluded) and 108 healthy lean student controls.
What was found
Patients with active Cushing's syndrome showed a disturbed gut microbial profile compared to lean reference controls, and this dysbiosis persisted 1 to 2 years after curative surgery. The abstract provides no specific numerical values, diversity indices, taxon-specific changes, or p-values.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that hypercortisolism-induced gut dysbiosis does not spontaneously resolve shortly after biochemical cure, pointing to a potential target for post-remission microbiome-directed interventions.
Limits
The disease sample size was small (n = 18) with mixed etiologies. The abstract omits all numerical data, does not detail comparisons against the obese control cohort, and uses student controls that introduce potential age and lifestyle confounding.
Cited by
- supports Cortisol release is known to produce an imbalance in the gut microbiome.