ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC ABNORMALITIES IN PATIENTS WITH CUSHINGS-SYNDROME

The electrocardiograms in 8 patients dth Gushing's syndrome and 4 with Gushing's disease were studied. The patients were divided into group A with electrocardiographic abnormalities and group B without. The mea n age was significantly higher in group B than in group A. However, bl ood pressure, mean heart rate and the plasma adrenocorticotropic hormo ne level showed no significant differences between the two groups. In group A, the plasma concentration of cortisol had a tendency to be hig her than in group B (A vs. B: 281 +/- 100 ng/ml, 188 +/- 9 ng/ml, resp ectively). Echocardiography performed on three of four patients in gro up A revealed cardiac hypertrophy. While, in group B, echocardiography performed on two patients showed no hypertrophic findings. As a resul t, it seems that the electrocardiographic changes are correlated with the plasma level of cortisol via myocardial hypertrophy.