title: Bronchial asthma improved after removal of a phaeochromocytoma.
abstract: It is uncommon for bronchial asthma to be a symptom of phaeochromocytoma. We describe a patient with a phaeochromocytoma who presented with worsening of her asthma and persistent dyspnoea between attacks. She had markedly elevated levels of catecholamines. After surgical resection of the phaeochromocytoma there was a lasting improvement of the bronchial asthma. We hypothesize that worsening of bronchial asthma in phaeochromocytoma patients may be due to catecholamine-induced deterioration of asthma.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Dijkzigt, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Tjiong
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000097:blood; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine