Nephrol Dial Transplant (2001) 16: 2100-2104
© 2001 European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association
Teaching Point
Hypertension due to phaeochromocytoma—an unusual cause of multiorgan failure
(Section Editor: K. Kühn)
1 Department of Renal Medicine and 2 Department of Endocrinology, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK
Keywords: acute renal failure; MIBG scan; multiorgan failure; phaeochromocytoma; proteinuria
Introduction
Phaeochromocytoma is a rare neoplasm, principally of the adrenal medulla. It is classically associated with periodic hypertension and a constellation of intermittent symptoms including headache, sweating, and palpitations. These are attributed to an excessive release of catecholamines (dopamine, adrenaline, noradrenaline) from chromaffin tissue within the tumour. Most phaeochromocytomas are unilateral and are not associated with an endocrine syndrome. Although often histologically benign, they are potentially lethal. We report two cases of phaeochromocytoma presenting with multiorgan failure.
Case 1
A 42-year-old female developed acute symptoms of breathlessness and palpitations. She presented to the emergency department in extremis, with severe dyspnoea, chest tightness, and expectoration of copious pink, frothy sputum. She was clinically cyanosed and had cold peripheries. Blood pressure was initially unobtainable and her pulse was weak at a rate of 120 beats per minute. There were inspiratory crepitations extending to the mid-zones bilaterally.
She was given high-flow oxygen by mask, intravenous
Case 2
Discussion
Epidemiology
Clinical features
Investigations
Management
Teaching points
Acknowledgments
Notes
References
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