What can I claim secondary to cushing syndrome?
6 conditions in the Repatriation Medical Authority's Statements of Principles list cushing syndrome as a factor. If DVA has accepted your cushing syndrome, each of these has a documented pathway to a further claim.
At a glance
- Accepted conditionCushing syndrome
- Conditions it may open6
- SourceRMA SoPs
- Chart Review$600 + GST
How a secondary claim works
Some Statement of Principles factors are not about service at all — they name another condition. Where DVA has already accepted your cushing syndrome, and another condition's SoP lists cushing syndrome as a factor, that part of the next claim is already established on your file. How a secondary claim works, in full →
Conditions that list cushing syndrome as a factor
Quoted from the instrument. A pathway existing is not the same as a claim succeeding — each factor carries thresholds your record has to satisfy.
Adrenal insufficiency
RH No. 71 of 2018 · BoP No. 72 of 2018
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (4): “having an injury or surgery to: (a) both adrenal glands, or (b) a single adrenal gland: (i) where there is only one functional adrenal gland; or (ii) as surgical treatment for Cushing syndrome; within the one year before the clinical onset of adrenal insufficiency” [clinical onset] — factor (16): “having an injury or surgery to: (a) both adrenal glands, or (b) a single adrenal gland: (i) where there is only one functional adrenal gland; or (ii) as surgical treatment for Cushing syndrome; within the one year before the clinical worsening of adrenal insufficiency” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (4): “having an injury or surgery to: (a) both adrenal glands, or (b) a single adrenal gland: (i) where there is only one functional adrenal gland; or (ii) as surgical treatment for Cushing syndrome; within the one year before the clinical onset of adrenal insufficiency” [clinical onset] — factor (16): “having an injury or surgery to: (a) both adrenal glands, or (b) a single adrenal gland: (i) where there is only one functional adrenal gland; or (ii) as surgical treatment for Cushing syndrome; within the one year before the clinical worsening of adrenal insufficiency” [worsening]
Central serous chorioretinopathy
RH No. 45 of 2018 · BoP No. 46 of 2018
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (3): “having Cushing syndrome in the one year before the clinical onset of central serous chorioretinopathy” [clinical onset] — factor (12): “having Cushing syndrome in the one year before the clinical worsening of central serous chorioretinopathy” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (3): “having Cushing syndrome in the one year before the clinical onset of central serous chorioretinopathy” [clinical onset] — factor (8): “having Cushing syndrome in the one year before the clinical worsening of central serous chorioretinopathy” [worsening]
Morbid obesity
RH No. 43 of 2022 · BoP No. 44 of 2022
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (7): “having Cushing syndrome for at least the 3 months before the clinical onset of morbid obesity; Morbid Obesity (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 43 of 2022.)” [clinical onset] — factor (21): “having Cushing syndrome for at least the 3 months before the clinical worsening of morbid obesity” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (7): “having Cushing syndrome for at least the 3 months before the clinical onset of morbid obesity” [clinical onset] — factor (20): “having Cushing syndrome for at least the 3 months before the clinical worsening of morbid obesity” [worsening]
Neoplasm of the pituitary gland
BoP No. 71 of 2024
Balance of Probabilities — factor (1): “having undergone bilateral adrenalectomy for the treatment of Cushing syndrome due to a corticotroph pituitary adenoma before the clinical worsening of corticotroph pituitary adenoma” [worsening]
This condition has a Balance of Probabilities instrument only, so the same test applies whatever your service type.
Note: Bilateral adrenalectomy is the excision of both adrenal glands.
Osteonecrosis
RH No. 13 of 2020 · BoP No. 14 of 2020
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (11): “having Cushing syndrome at the time of the clinical onset of osteonecrosis” [clinical onset]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (11): “having Cushing syndrome at the time of the clinical onset of osteonecrosis” [clinical onset]
Osteoporosis
RH No. 66 of 2024
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (8): “having one of the following endocrine abnormalities for a continuous period of at least 1 year within the 10 years before clinical onset or clinical worsening; (a) Cushing syndrome; (b) Graves disease; (c) hyperprolactinaemia; (d) hyperthyroidism or thyrotoxicosis; (e) hypogonadism (including menopause); (f) primary hyperparathyroidism; or (g) type 1 diabetes mellitus” [onset and worsening]
This factor appears in the Reasonable Hypothesis instrument only, which applies to operational service.
Other accepted conditions that also open adrenal insufficiency
If any of these is also on your file, it reaches some of the same conditions cushing syndrome does.
What DVA means by cushing syndrome
A claim is tested against the definition first. If the diagnosis on your file does not meet this wording, the factors below never get reached — so it is worth checking that what your doctor wrote matches what the instrument requires.
Cushing syndrome, for the purposes of the Statement of Principles, for the purposes of this Statement of Principles, Cushing syndrome means an endocrine disorder resulting from an excess of endogenous or exogenous glucocorticoids.
Aggravation-only factors. In this instrument, subsections 9(4) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, cushing syndrome where it was already present before or during service. If service caused cushing syndrome outright, those factors are not available to you.
RH No. 43 of 2018 · BoP No. 44 of 2018 · 4 factors
What could support a claim for cushing syndrome?
The Statement of Principles for cushing syndrome names 1 other condition among its own factors. If any of these is already accepted on your file, it may be the factor that carries a cushing syndrome claim — quoted here from the instrument.
Human immunodeficiency virus infection
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (3): “being treated with medroxyprogesterone acetate or megestrol acetate for a malignant disease or human immunodeficiency virus infection: (a) for at least four weeks before the clinical onset of Cushing syndrome; and (b) where treatment has ceased, the clinical onset of Cushing syndrome has occurred within 30 days of cessation” [clinical onset]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (3): “being treated with medroxyprogesterone acetate or megestrol acetate for a malignant disease or human immunodeficiency virus infection: (a) for at least four weeks before the clinical onset of Cushing syndrome; and (b) where treatment has ceased, the clinical onset of Cushing syndrome has occurred within 30 days of cessation” [clinical onset]
Reviewed by Dr Thomas Perkins
Founding doctor, Veterans Health Centre · former RAAF aviation medical officer · 13 years working exclusively with ADF members and veterans. Full profile →
Cushing syndrome accepted?
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