Norepinephrine-secreting tumor of the organ of Zuckerkandl. Response to propranolol alone.
A 24-year-old man with diagnosed pheochromocytoma of the organ of Zukerkandl, was successfully treated with propranolol hydrochloride to lower his blood pressure. In view of the positive response to propranolol, the patient was expected to have an epinephrine-secreting tumor. However, measurement of catecholamines showed that preoperative peripheral blood, vena caval samples from the tumor, intraoperative peripheral samples, and the tumor itself contained almost exclusively norephinephrine. A response of blood pressure to propranolol in a hypertensive patient does not rule out the possibility of a pheochromocytoma, even one with the usual norephinephrine predominance.
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002838:Chromaffin System / Q000378:metabolism; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D010220:Para-Aortic Bodies / Q000378:metabolism; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D011433:Propranolol; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine