Aldosteronoma in a child with localization by adrenal vein aldosterone: collective review of the literature

Primary hyperaldosteronism with normokalaemia secondary to an adrenal adenoma (Conn's syndrome) in a 12 year-old boy

A 12-1/2 year-old boy presented to the Accident Department following an episode of dizziness and was found to be hypertensive. Investigations revealed primary hyperaldosteronism secondary to an adrenal adenoma (Conn's syndrome). He had normal electrolytes during the period of investigation and potassium concentrations were > or = 4.2 mmol/l on all but one occasion. The hypertension resolved following excision of the adrenal tumour. Normokalaemia with potassium >4.0 mmol/l is very unusual in patients with Conn's syndrome and has not been described in childhood before. Primary hyperaldosteronism needs to be considered in hypertensive children even when potassium concentrations are well within the laboratory reference range.

Adrenal cortical neoplasms in the pediatric population: a clinicopathologic and immunophenotypic analysis of 83 patients

Adrenal cortical neoplasms in pediatric patients (<20 years) are rare. The clinical manifestations and biologic behavior of these lesions can be quite distinct from their histologically similar counterparts in the adult population, making pathologic criteria for distinguishing benign from malignant tumors equivocal. We undertook a study of 83 adrenal cortical neoplasms to determine if adult clinical and histologic features can be applied to pediatric patients in an outcome-based analysis. Most of the patients (50 girls and 33 boys) presented with hormone-related symptoms present for a mean of 6.8 months. The tumors ranged in size from 2 to 20 cm (mean 8.8 cm). Histologic parameters examined included capsular and/or vascular invasion, extraadrenal soft tissue extension, growth pattern, cellularity, necrosis, cytoplasmic eosinophilia, nuclear pleomorphism, nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio, prominent nucleoli, mitotic figures, atypical mitotic figures, bands of fibrosis, and calcifications. Immunophenotypically, there was reactivity with inhibin, vimentin, CK5, and focally with p53 and Ki-67. All patients underwent adrenalectomy, and 20 patients received adjuvant therapy. All patients with tumors classified as adenomas (n = 9) were alive, without evidence of disease (mean 14.7 years), whereas 21 patients with carcinomas had died with disease (mean 2.4 years). Only 31% of histologically malignant tumors behaved in a clinically malignant fashion. Features associated with an increased probability of a malignant clinical behavior included tumor weight (>400 g), tumor size (>10.5 cm), vena cava invasion, capsular and/or vascular invasion, extension into periadrenal soft tissue, confluent necrosis, severe nuclear atypia, >15 mitotic figures/20 high power fields, and the presence of atypical mitotic figures. Vena cava invasion, necrosis, and increased mitotic activity (>15 mitotic figures/20 high power fields) independently suggest malignant clinical behavior in multivariate analysis.

Adrenocortical tumors in children

Childhood adrenocortical tumors (ACT) are rare. In the USA, only about 25 new cases occur each year. In Southern Brazil, however, approximately 10 times that many cases are diagnosed each year. Most cases occur in the contiguous states of São Paulo and Paraná. The cause of this higher rate has not been identified. Familial genetic predisposition to cancer (p53 mutations) and selected genetic syndromes (Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome) have been associated with childhood ACT in general but not with the Brazilian counterpart. Most of the affected children are young girls with classic endocrine syndromes (virilizing and/or Cushing). Levels of urinary 17-ketosteroids and plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), which are abnormal in approximately 90% of the cases, provide the pivotal clue to a diagnosis of ACT. Typical imaging findings of pediatric ACT consist of a large, well-defined suprarenal tumor containing calcifications with a thin capsule and central necrosis or hemorrhage. The pathologic classification of pediatric ACT is troublesome. Even an experienced pathologist can find it difficult to differentiate carcinoma from adenoma. Surgery is the single most important procedure in the successful treatment of ACT. The role of chemotherapy in the management of childhood ACT has not been established although occasional tumors are responsive to mitotane or cisplatin-containing regimens. Because of the heterogeneity and rarity of the disease, prognostic factors have been difficult to establish in pediatric ACT. Patients with incomplete tumor resection or with metastatic disease at diagnosis have a dismal prognosis. In patients with localized and completely resected tumors, the size of the tumor has predictive value. Patients with large tumors have a much higher relapse rate than those with small tumors.

Conn syndrome in a child, caused by adrenal adenoma

Hyperaldosteronism owing to aldosterone-producing adenoma (Conn syndrome) is a rare but potentially curable form of pediatric hypertension. The authors report on a 5-year-old girl who had symptoms of polyuria, polydipsia, and fatigue, and for whom the diagnosis of hyperaldosteronemia was suggested by a low serum potassium level and persistent hypertension. The diagnosis was confirmed by increased levels of plasma aldosterone and decreased levels of plasma renin. The tumor was localized with ultrasonography and computed tomography, which showed a 2-cm mass in the left adrenal gland. The left adrenal gland was excised, and pathological assessment showed an adenoma. Only 14 other pediatric cases (< 16 years of age) have been reported in the English-language literature.

Aldosteronoma in childhood: a review of clinical features and management

Primary hyperaldosteronism is rare in children and usually results from bilateral adrenocortical hyperplasia. Adrenal adenoma causing primary hyperaldosteronism (aldosteronoma) in children is even rarer, with only eight reported cases in children under 18 years of age. Aldosteronoma is a very rare, correctable cause of childhood hypertension. A review of all the reported cases, including that of the authors, is presented. Also discussed are the available biochemical and radiological investigations, the preoperative medical management, the surgical treatment, and the postoperative management.

Aldosterone-secreting adrenal cortical adenoma in an 11-year-old child and collective review of the literature

We report a rare case of primary hyperaldosteronism due to a unilateral adrenal cortical adenoma in an 11-year-old female patient. The patient presented with hypertension, hypokalaemia and metabolic alkalosis, associated with inappropriate kaliuresis. The diagnosis was supported by the following laboratory findings: elevated plasma aldosterone, suppressed plasma renin activity, nonsuppressible aldosterone secretion following saline infusion and absent plasma aldosterone response to ambulation. MRI revealed a 1 cm-diameter adrenal tumour on the left side. Even though the NP-59 scintigraphy showed the negative result, laparotomy with left adrenalectomy was performed. Pathological examination confirmed an adenoma in the adrenal cortex. The patient's blood pressure and biochemical laboratory data normalized postoperatively within 2 days. We recommend that in hypertensive children with hypokalaemia and metabolic alkalosis, primary aldosteronism should be considered.

Adrenal cortical tumours in children

Adrenal cortical tumours are uncommon in children. For many years it was thought that the majority were malignant with a poor prognosis. Pathological criteria for malignancy are unreliable for these tumours in childhood. The radiological findings in seven children are presented. Large tumour size (> 6 cm diameter) and radiological appearances such as a complex echo pattern were considered to provide useful indicators of malignancy.

Aldosterone-secreting adrenal cortical adenoma in an 11-year-old child and collective review of the literature

We report a rare case of primary hyperaldosteronism in an 11-year-old female patient due to a unilateral adrenal cortical adenoma. The patient presented with hypertension, hypokalaemia and metabolic alkalosis associated with inappropriate kaliuresis. The diagnosis was supported by the following laboratory findings: elevated plasma aldosterone, suppressed plasma renin activity, nonsuppressible aldosterone secretion following saline infusion and absent plasma aldosterone response to ambulation. MRI revealed a 1 cm diameter adrenal tumour on the left side. Even though the NP-59 scintigraphy gave a negative result, laparotomy with left adrenalectomy was performed. Pathological examination confirmed an adenoma in the adrenal cortex. The patient's blood pressure and biochemical laboratory data normalized postoperatively within 2 days. We recommended that in hypertensive children with hypokalaemia and metabolic alkalosis, primary aldosteronism should be considered.

The pharmacology and therapeutics of diuretics in the pediatric patient

Selection of appropriate diuretic therapy in children is hampered by a lack of age-specific pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data, especially in premature neonates. Well-designed clinical trials in neonates, infants, and younger children are necessary prerequisites to safer and more efficacious diuretic therapy.

CT localization of an aldosteronoma in a 10-year-old boy

Primary aldosteronism in children under 16 years of age is usually due to adrenal hyperplasia. We could find only seven cases in the literature where it was caused by a solitary adrenal adenoma; all but one were female. We describe the case of a 10-year-old Caucasian boy in whom a unilateral adrenal adenoma was demonstrated by high resolution computed tomography (CT) alone. The literature is reviewed.