Which assessment finding is typical of Cushing's syndrome?

Which assessment finding is typical of Cushing's syndrome?

• A. Skin atrophy
• B. The presence of sunken eyes
• C. Drooping on one side of the face
• D. A rounded moonlike appearance to the face

Answer: (D)

Elevated cortisol causes fat redistribution and fluid retention, leading to a round, puffy facial appearance often described as a moon face. This facial change is a classic and highly recognizable sign of Cushing's syndrome, making it the most typical assessment finding you’d expect to see. Other facial signs described in the choices don’t fit as well with cortisol excess. Sunken eyes aren’t characteristic of Cushing’s and might suggest dehydration or malnutrition. Drooping on one side of the face points to a neurologic issue such as facial nerve palsy, not the hormonal effects seen in Cushing’s. Skin changes, like thinning or easy bruising, can occur with chronic cortisol excess, but the most distinctive and commonly tested feature remains the moonlike face.

Elevated cortisol causes fat redistribution and fluid retention, leading to a round, puffy facial appearance often described as a moon face. This facial change is a classic and highly recognizable sign of Cushing's syndrome, making it the most typical assessment finding you’d expect to see.

Other facial signs described in the choices don’t fit as well with cortisol excess. Sunken eyes aren’t characteristic of Cushing’s and might suggest dehydration or malnutrition. Drooping on one side of the face points to a neurologic issue such as facial nerve palsy, not the hormonal effects seen in Cushing’s. Skin changes, like thinning or easy bruising, can occur with chronic cortisol excess, but the most distinctive and commonly tested feature remains the moonlike face.