Changes of platelets, serum lactic dehydrogenase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, choline esterase and creatine phosphokinase levels in patients with Cushing's syndrome.

In order to identify non-endocrine laboratory tests of diagnostic value in Cushing's syndrome, we measured platelet counts and serum myogenic and hepatic enzyme levels in 10 patients with Cushing's syndrome and compared the findings with those of 15 obese patients without Cushing's syndrome. Patients with Cushing's syndrome had increased numbers of platelets, moderately elevated serum lactic dehydrogenase and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase levels, and significantly lower creatine phosphokinase and choline esterase activities compared with those of obese control patients. We concluded that when several of these abnormal values were seen in obese patients the levels of suspicion for Cushing's syndrome should be high.