Occult extraadrenal pheochromocytoma treated as diabetes mellitus.
Pheochromocytoma usually is associated with a combination of various manifestations caused by overproduction of catecholamines. We encountered a case of an occult, catecholamine-secreting pheochromocytoma. A 70-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of anorexia. He had been treated for diabetes mellitus for 4 years; during this period he did not have any other symptoms related to pheochromocytoma. At admission, serum epinephrine, norepinephrine, and glucose levels and urinary excretion of total metanephrine were elevated. A tumor was detected in the left adrenal region and diagnosed as pheochromocytoma. After tumor resection, the increased levels of catecholamines and glucose and the decreased urinary C-peptide were normalized. This suggests that the pheochromocytoma caused hyperglycemia without other manifestations for a long time.
Yamashita
S
S
Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoyashi Kohseiin Geriatric Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
Dohi
Y
Y
Kinoshita
M
M
Kojima
M
M
Miyagawa
K
K
Sato
K
K
D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000209:etiology; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D002395:Catecholamines; D007328:Insulin