S11E5: When It Looks Like Cushing’s But It Isn’t

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Leena Shahla to the Pituitary Podcast. She is the director of The Duke Pituitary Program. Today she joins PWN co-founder and medical director of the California Center for Pituitary Disorders at UCSF, Dr. Lewis Blevins, for an in-depth discussion about pseudo-Cushing's syndrome.

In the Duke Health web portal, Dr. Shahla says endocrinology captured her heart because it combines medical science with unique challenges. "My passion for solving puzzles drives my deep interest in pituitary disease, the most complex area of endocrinology." You can read more about Dr. Shahla, her practice and background here.

This is a fascinating discussion about a complex, often misunderstood condition by two of the leading experts in the field you won't want to miss it. Pseudo-Cushing's syndrome or non-neoplastic hypercortisolism is a medical condition in which people with this disorder display the signs, symptoms, and abnormal cortisol levels.  Common causes can include  pregnancy, alcohol use disorder, morbid obesity, polycystic ovarian syndrome, end-stage renal disease, severe major depressive disorder, and poorly controlled diabetes.