The Highs and Lows of an Unknown Pheochromocytoma in an Elderly Patient

Case Rep Endocrinol. 2019 Jul 7:2019:5707968. doi: 10.1155/2019/5707968. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Pheochromocytomas are rare catecholamine producing neuroendocrine tumors. The incidence of these tumors is estimated to affect 0.8 per 100,000 person-years and is most common in the fourth to fifth decade of life with equal prevalence in men and women. We describe a case of an 84-year-old male who presented with cycling episodes of severe hypertension and hypotension after an elective cardiac catheterization. Workup of the labile blood pressure revealed a large suprarenal mass and free serum metanephrines (MN) 104 nmol/L (reference range 0.0-0.49 nmol/L) and normetanephrines (NMN) of 24 nmol/L (reference range 0.0-0.89 nmol/L), confirming the diagnosis of a pheochromocytoma. The patient's labile blood pressure was a challenge to manage medically and improved only after aggressive hydration and an alpha-adrenergic antagonist. Of note, this is the second eldest patient known to be published to date with a pheochromocytoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports