Subclinical Cushing syndrome (SCS) is a hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis abnormality characterized by autonomous cortisol secretion in patients with no typical signs or symptoms of Cushing syndrome. SCS patients may have adverse metabolic and cardiovascular effects due to slight, but continuous glucocorticoid secretion. Glucocorticoids also affect behavior, mood, neural activity, and a number of specific biochemical processes in the central nervous system. Here, we report a case of SCS due to an adrenal incidentaloma in a hypertensive diabetic patient who presented with chronic fatigue and anxiety that disappeared after the removal of the adrenal adenoma.
This study was performed to assess changes in skin color over 1 month after smoking cessation. The study population consisted of 49 men who participated in a smoking cessation program from March 2010 to June 2010 at a public health centre in Yangsan, South Korea. Thirty-four men who stop smoking completely were included in our study. Instrumental evaluations of skin color were performed using Mexameter (MX 18; Courage and Khazaka Electronic GmbH) at the beginning of the study and at 1-week and 4-week follow-up visits. Skin color was evaluated by measurement of 2 main color bases-melanin and haemoglobin-with the results expressed as melanin index (MI) and erythema index (EI). Both MI and EI were significantly reduced at the 4-week follow-up visit on all 7 sites measured. We anticipate that desirable effects on skin color after smoking cessation will play a positive role in maintaining smoking abstinence in routine clinical practice.
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Wilson's disease is an autosomal recessive disorder affecting copper transport; it results in the accumulation of copper in the liver, brain, and other organs. Wilson's disease is the most common inherited liver disease with more than 500 cases reported in Korea. An impairment in biliary excretion process leads to copper accumulation in the liver, which progressively damages the liver, leading to cirrhosis. Since effective treatment is available for this disease, early and correct diagnosis is very important. Here, we report a case of Wilson's disease with mildly elevated liver enzyme levels in a 29-year-old breast-feeding woman with weight loss.
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