Body composition in Cushing's disease.

Lean body mass and body fat mass were estimated in 12 patients with Cushing's disease before treatment, in 5 of these after correction of the adrenal hyperfunction, and in 23 patients with simple obesity. The methods used, whole-body counting of 40K and tritiated water dilution, may in Cushing's disease over- and underestimate, respectively, the body fat mass and may therefore be considered to give upper and lower limits of that entity. By a comparison with the results in simple obesity, we conclude that the total body fat mass generally is increased in patients with Cushing's disease.