Sodium valproate and cyproheptadine may independently induce a remission in the same patient with Cushing's disease

Abstract

A patient with Cushing's disease was unsuccessfully treated by pituitary surgery and external pituitary irradiation. One year later sodium valproate treatment induced a remission and finally hypocorticism developed. After drug withdrawal hypercoticism recurred. Treatment with cyproheptadine again induced hypocorticism necessitating corticosteroid substitution therapy. Biochemical characteristics of this patient included responsiveness to bromocriptine and cyproheptadine in acute tests. The study demonstrates that sodium valproate and cyproheptadine may both be effective independently in the treatment of the same patient with Cushing's disease. It is proposed that the disease is due to an ACTH producing tumour of pituitary intermediate lobe origin.