Long-Term Impaired Quality of Life in Cushing’s Syndrome despite Initial Improvement after Surgical Remission

Context: Cushing’s syndrome (CS) is associated with symptoms that may impair health-related quality of life (HRQL). Methods: We used the short-form 36 survey to evaluate HRQL in 23 patients with Cushing’s disease before and after transsphenoidal surgery (age, 42.7 ± 12.0 yr; 19 women and four men) and in a cross-section of 343 CS patients (age, 48.2 ± 14.1 yr; 265 women and 78 men) in remission for up to 25.8 yr after surgery (adrenal, 5%; ectopic, 6%). The z-scores were calculated for short-form 36 domains, and physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) summary scores were compared with those of age- and sex-matched controls (n = 6742). Results: Active Cushing’s disease was associated with low PCS and MCS scores (P < 0.05). Despite residual postoperative impairment, primarily of physical domains, all HRQL parameters improved after treatment with transsphenoidal surgery (3.2 ± 1.5 yr; P < 0.05). In the cross-section in remission at follow-up, there was a small, but significant (P < 0.05), impairment of both PCS and ...