[Significance of 3-methoxytyramine urine measurement in the diagnosis of pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas: about 28 patients].

Aurélien Le Jacques, Jean-Hervé Abalain, Fabienne Le Saos, Jean-Luc Carré

Index: Ann. Biol. Clin. (Paris.) 69(5) , 555-9, (2011)

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Abstract

Measurement of catecholamines derivatives is used to diagnose tumors such as pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas. Despite the low incidence of these diseases, their diagnosis is essential because of potentially lethal episodes of malignant hypertension related to an inappropriate secretion of catecholamines by these tumors. The catecholamines derivatives include 3-methoxytyramine, normetanephrine and metanephrine, assayed in urine or plasma. The significance of the measurement of urinary 3-methoxytyramine was addressed by analysing the records of 28 patients aged 25 to 84 years with isolated elevation of this derivative, with non-pathological urinary rates of metanephrine and normetanephrine, that might help suspect a catecholamine inappropriate secretion. In these situations, no pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma was diagnosed. This study, after discussing possible biases in the clinical care and diagnosis approach of these patients, raises the question of the relevance of this assay in the diagnostic management of these diseases.