title: Seizures as a presenting symptom of phaeochromocytoma in a young soldier.
abstract: New onset of seizures in young adults is frequently related to alcohol withdrawal, toxic exposure, central nervous system trauma and neoplasm. We describe a young soldier presenting to the emergency department with seizures and transient coma. On admission, he had hypertension, marked leukocytosis, hyper-glycaemia, acidosis, elevated creatinine and elevated creatine phosphokinase of muscle origin. A thorough work-up revealed elevated urinary catecholamines, and a left adrenal mass was found on MRI and MIBG scan. The patient underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy and completely recovered. This is the first description of seizures as a presenting symptom of phaeochromocytoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine D, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leiba
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bar-Dayan
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Leker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Apter
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grossman
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome