Is the early mineralocorticoid effector mechanism , the sodium-proton exchanger , sensitized in lymphocytes from patients with Cushing 's syndrome?
These data indicate that the early mineralocorticoid effector mechanism in human mononuclear leucocytes from patients with Cushing's syndrome has an increased sensitivity to aldosterone compared with that from normals. This could reflect an adaptation of the cellular electrolyte metabolism to the decreased mineralocorticoid activity balancing the increased glucocorticoid activity. If representative of other cell systems, e.g. renal tubular cells, these findings would identify accompanying electrolyte disorders in these patients not as a side-effect of glucocorticoids, but as a result of an increased sensitivity to endogenous mineralocorticoids.
Heart transplantation in patients with previous cardiac operations will lead to an impaired overall outcome. In addition, these patients have more postoperative complications.