Hypercortisolism is associated with a high risk of sickness rate and death rate particularly in view of facilitated arteriosclerotic processes. It is most frequently induced by drug therapy, but endogenous hypercortisolism (Cushing's syndrome) may serve as a suitable model of the effect of hypercortisolism on vascular wall. Our cohort included the following groups of patients and control individuals: 1. a group of patients with florid so far untreated Cushing's syndrome - 14 patients, 2. a control group to these patients - 16 individuals, 3. a group recently operated on and healed-up patients with Cushing's syndrome - 8 patients, 4. a group of previous of previous cured- up patients with Cushing's syndrome - 27 subjects, 5. a control group to those patients of group 4 - 17 persons. The following differences were found between the respective groups: 1. the ultrasonographic examination of carotid arteries demonstrated sclerotic plates or carotid stenosis in 21.3 % of patients with florid Cushing's syndrome and 41.4 % in patients with corticolism having been cured-up against 11.7 % in the relevant control group; 2. the examination of skin microcirculation by the laser-doppler method revealed a lower velocity of perfusion increase during examination of postocclusion hyperemia in patients with florid Cushing's syndrome and hypercortisolism having been cured-up against a control group (CUSH., P < 0.04; previous curedup, P < 0.02) as well as thermally-induced hyperemia (CUSH., P < 0.03; formerly cured-up, P < 0.04); 3. the laboratory examination of patients with florid Cushing's syndrome revealed higher values of LDL-cholesterol (P < 0.05) and total cholesterol (P < 0.001), malonyldialdehyde as an indicator of increased formation of oxygen radicals (P < 0.05) and oromucoid, the protein of acute phase, signaling a chronic inflammation (P < 0.05); 4. in patients who previously suffered from hypercortisolism increased levels of fibrinogen (P < 0.03) and the cytoadhesive molecule ICAM-1 (P < 0.05) were accompanied by decreased levels of the growth factor of vascular endothelia (VEGF) (P < 0.05) against patients with florid Cushing's syndrome. Conclusion: The findings of the examinations performed indicate that increased incidence of arteriosclerotic processes is present in patients with the florid Cushing's syndrome as well as in those who have suffered from Cushing's syndrome before.

        Key words: Hypercortisolism - Arteriosclerosis - Cytoadhesive molecules - Microcirculation