Experience with the use of growth hormones in a patient with Cushing's syndrome

Cushing’s disease (CD), defined as hypercortisolism caused by excess adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) secretion by a pituitary corticotroph adenoma, presents rarely in the paediatric age range. However, this serious disorder requires early diagnosis and specialised management because the morbidity related to chronic hypercortisolism in paediatric patients is considerable. Growth retardation to the point of complete cessation of growth is a hallmark of Cushing's syndrome in children. The main mechanism for this is considered to be glucocorticoid-induced resistance of target tissues to insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and other growth factors and growth hormone (GH) deficiency. This article describes a case of the use of synthetic growth hormone in a teenager with Cushing's syndrome, a feature of which is the presence of positive dynamics in the patient's growth.