Correlation Between Cortisol Levels And BMI In Patients With Cushing's Syndrome

الملخص

Background:

Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a serious clinical condition caused by endogenous or exogenous cortisol excess, causing a cascade of severe metabolic complication such as fat accumulation. The objective is to study the level of cortisol in patients with Cushing's syndrome and its correlation with body mass index (BMI).

Materials and Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted at The Medical citythe Medical city, Baghdad, Iraq, from (January 2024- October 2025). The study comprised a total of forty patients diagnosed as having Cushing's syndrome, all of whom were confirmed to be cases. Details of age and BMI of the patients were retrieved directly from patients. Measurements of serum cortisol were obtained in the morning (8 AM) and afternoon (5 PM) twice daily.

Results:

The data confirmed the fact that the age of the majority of the study respondents (50%) falls between 18 and 32 years; within these ages, the later subgroup is between 33 and 47 years old (37.5%). More males were diagnosed than females (55% vs 45%). Most participants have no chronic diseases (57.5%). In Cushing's syndrome patients, cortisol levels ranged very widely and contrarily, weighed against the more narrowly distributed BMI values. Morning cortisol was significantly higher than afternoon (p < 0.001). Also, a strong positive correlation was seen between cortisol and BMI (r = 0.786, p = 0.001), implying that a higher BMI would be associated with higher levels of cortisol).

Conclusion:

The study suggested a strong positive correlation between levels of cortisol and BMI, indicating that that obesity in these patients is linked with higher cortisol levels.