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Bilateral Inferior Petrosal Sinus Sampling in the Differential Diagnosis of Adrenocorticotropin-Dependent Cushing’s Syndrome: A Comparison with Other Diagnostic Tests

Sir George E. Clark Metabolic Unit (M.I.W., A.P.H., D.R.M., D.R.H., A.B.A.), Department of Radiology (E.M.M.), and Regional Endocrine Laboratory (B.S.), Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT12 6BA

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Prof. A. B. Atkinson, Sir George E. Clark Metabolic Unit, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT12 6BA.

To compare bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS) with high dose dexamethasone (HDD) and CRH testing (using recently proposed stringent response criteria) in the differential diagnosis of ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome, we reviewed 53 consecutive cases. The main analysis was limited to 45 cases with confirmed diagnosis: 44 with pituitary dependency, proven by confirmatory histology and/or significant biochemical improvement after pituitary surgery, and 1 with ectopic ACTH syndrome. After HDD (2 mg every 6 h for 48 h), 21 of the 44 pituitary cases met the stringent more than 90% suppression criterion. Twenty-three of the 44 pituitary cases also underwent CRH testing; 16 of 23 met a stringent response criterion of a more than 50% serum cortisol rise. For HDD and CRH testing combined, 8 of 23 fulfilled both stringent criteria, 10 of 23 had discordant results, and 5 of 23 failed to fulfil either of the stringent criteria for pituitary dependency. IPSS was performed in all 44 of the proven pituitary cases; 36 had petrosal/peripheral ACTH ratios of 2.0 or more without CRH stimulation. Thus, in patients with proven pituitary disease, stringent response criteria to HDD and CRH testing were fulfilled by only 48% and 70%, respectively. IPSS, which gave direct evidence of pituitary ACTH secretion in 82% of the cases, is therefore considered necessary in a significant proportion of cases.

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