Pheochromocytoma crisis caused by contemporary ergotamine, caffeine, and nimesulide administration

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of pheochromocytoma crisis: a literature review of 200 cases

PURPOSE

Pheochromocytoma crisis is a life-threatening endocrine emergency that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. Because of its rarity, sudden onset, and lack of internationally uniform and validated diagnostic criteria, pheochromocytoma crisis remains to be fully clarified. Therefore, we aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of pheochromocytoma crisis through a literature review.

METHODS

We performed a systematic literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE database, Igaku-Chuo-Zasshi (Japanese database), and Google Scholar to identify case reports of pheochromocytoma crisis published until February 5, 2021. Information was extracted and analyzed from the literature that reported adequate individual patient data of pheochromocytoma crisis in English or Japanese. Cases were also termed as pheochromocytoma multisystem crisis (PMC) if patients had signs of hyperthermia, multiple organ failure, encephalopathy, and labile blood pressure.

RESULTS

In the 200 cases of pheochromocytoma crisis identified from 187 articles, the mean patient age was 43.8 ± 15.5 years. The most common symptom was headache (39.5%). The heart was the most commonly damaged organ resulting from a complication of a pheochromocytoma crisis (99.0%), followed by the lungs (44.0%) and the kidney (21.5%). PMC accounted for 19.0% of all pheochromocytoma crisis cases. After excluding 12 cases with unknown survival statuses, the mortality rate was 13.8% (26/188 cases). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that nausea and vomiting were significantly associated with a higher mortality rate.

CONCLUSION

Pheochromocytoma can present with different symptomatology, affecting different organ systems. Clinicians should be aware that patients with nausea or vomiting are at a higher risk of death because of pheochromocytoma crisis.

Pheochromocytoma Multisystem Crisis Behaving Like Interstitial Pneumonia: An Autopsy Case

Pheochromocytoma multisystem crisis is a rare and life-threatening disease that is associated with numerous symptoms and which is also difficult to diagnose. We herein report an autopsy case of a 61-year-old man who died due to pheochromocytoma multisystem crisis. The patient complained of vomiting and breathlessness. Computed tomography showed a shadow-like region with a similar appearance to interstitial pneumonia. The patient was diagnosed with takotsubo cardiomyopathy induced by severe lung disease based on the results of echocardiography and coronary angiography. The patient was treated for interstitial pneumonia. However, his condition rapidly deteriorated and he died 6 hours after arrival. We were later informed of his extremely high catecholamine serum levels. We found pheochromocytoma with hemorrhage at autopsy. The patient's lungs showed acute passive congestion with edema and extravasation.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Pediatric Patients with Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma

The aim of the study is to evaluate if there is an association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PHEO/PGL) in pediatric patients. A case series study of 43 patients under the age of 18 with PHEO/PGL tumors who were evaluated at the National Institute of Health between January 2006 and May 2014 is reported. Prior diagnosis of ADHD and treatment course with stimulant medications was recorded. Patient symptoms, catecholamine and metanephrine levels, tumor characteristics, and genetic analyses for syndromes associated with PHEO/PGL were evaluated. A chi-squared test was used to assess the prevalence of ADHD in the PHEO/PGL patients compared to the general population. Nine out of 43 (21%) of patients diagnosed with PHEO/PGL had been diagnosed with ADHD prior to tumor identification. Four of the 9 patients had been treated with amphetamine, dextroamphetamine, and/or methylphenidate, potentially exacerbating an adrenergic crisis. In addition, 4 patients exhibited hypertension at the initial diagnosis of their PHEO/PGL. Three patients had resolution of their ADHD symptoms after successful surgical removal of PHEO/PGL. Our study found a prevalence of ADHD in 21% of our PHEO/PGL patients, significantly higher than 7.2% seen in the general pediatric population. Symptoms of anxiety and difficulty in concentration in these patients may have been related to their underlying PHEO/PGL and were not recognized as part of the constellation of symptoms in a child with PHEO/PGL. In pediatric patients with hypertension and ADHD symptomatology, an evaluation to rule out PHEO/PGL is warranted prior to treatment with stimulant medications.

Unexpected triggers for pheochromocytoma-induced recurrent heart failure

Pheochromocytoma crisis typically presents as paroxysmal episodes of headache, tachycardia, diaphoresis or hypertension. We describe an uncommon case of recurrent non-hypertensive heart failure with systolic dysfunction in a young female due to pheochromocytoma compression. It presented as acute pulmonary oedema while straining during pregnancy and later on as cardiogenic shock after a recreational body massage. Such crisis occurring during pregnancy is rare. Moreover, of the few reported cases of pheochromocytoma-induced cardiogenic shock, recreational body massage has not yet been reported as a trigger for this condition.

Undiagnosed phaeochromocytoma masquerading as eclampsia

The authors report the case of a previously well 34-year-old woman presenting with a hypertensive crises and a grand-mal seizure following elective caesarean section. Initial treatment of extreme hypertension, of a presumed eclamptic aetiology, with magnesium and labetalol was complicated by intermittent profound hypotensive episodes. This was accompanied by severe biventricular failure and fluctuating systemic vascular resistance. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a left suprarenal mass. A diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma was confirmed on abdominal CT and urinary assays. The patient was stabilised with α and β blockade, was successfully extubated and subsequently had the tumour surgically excised. The cardiac function returned to normal on echocardiography and she has made a complete recovery.

Adverse drug reactions in patients with phaeochromocytoma: incidence, prevention and management

The dangers of phaeochromocytomas are mainly due to the capability of these neuroendocrine tumours to secrete large quantities of vasoactive catecholamines, thereby increasing blood pressure and causing other related adverse events or complications. Phaeochromocytomas are often missed, sometimes only becoming apparent during therapeutic interventions that provoke release or interfere with the disposition of catecholamines produced by the tumours. Because phaeochromocytomas are rare, evidence contraindicating use of specific drugs is largely anecdotal or based on case reports. The heterogeneous nature of the tumours also makes adverse reactions highly variable among patients. Some drugs, such as dopamine D(2) receptor antagonists (e.g. metoclopramide, veralipride) and beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists (beta-blockers) clearly carry high potential for adverse reactions, while others such as tricyclic antidepressants seem more inconsistent in producing complications. Other drugs capable of causing adverse reactions include monoamine oxidase inhibitors, sympathomimetics (e.g. ephedrine) and certain peptide and corticosteroid hormones (e.g. corticotropin, glucagon and glucocorticoids). Risks associated with contraindicated medications are easily minimised by adoption of appropriate safeguards (e.g. adrenoceptor blockade). Without such precautions, the state of cardiovascular vulnerability makes some drugs and manipulations employed during surgical anaesthesia particularly dangerous. Problems arise most often when drugs or therapeutic procedures are employed in patients in whom the tumour is not suspected. In such cases, it is extremely important for the clinician to recognise the possibility of an underlying catecholamine-producing tumour and to take the most appropriate steps to manage and treat adverse events and clinical complications.

Pheochromocytoma crisis: the use of magnesium sulfate

Pheochromocytoma crisis is a rare life-threatening event that may appear with a variety of clinical symptoms. We present three cases of life-threatening crisis in which magnesium sulfate was particularly beneficial in controlling symptoms and signs when more conventional forms of therapy had failed. Two patients presented with hypertensive encephalopathy, and the third presented with catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy. All three patients successfully underwent tumor excision with magnesium sulfate used as the sole drug for control of hemodynamic disturbances during surgery. The problems of pheochromocytoma crisis and the potential benefits of magnesium sulfate in this condition are reviewed.

Clinically significant drug interactions with agents specific for migraine attacks

The drugs which provide specific relief from migraine attacks, the ergopeptides (ergotamine and dihydroergotamine) and the various 'triptans' (notably sumatriptan), are often prescribed for persons already taking various migraine preventative agents, and sometimes drugs for other indications. As a result, migraine-specific drugs may become involved in drug-drug interactions. The migraine-specific drugs all act as agonists at certain subclasses of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) receptor, particularly those of the 5-HT1D subtype, and produce vasoconstriction through these receptor-mediated mechanisms. The oral bioavailabilities of these drugs, particularly those of the ergopeptides, are often incomplete, due to extensive presystemic metabolism. As a result, if migraine-specific agents are coadministered with drugs with vasoconstrictive properties, or with drugs which inhibit the metabolism of the migraine-specific agents, there is a risk of interactions occurring which produce manifestations of excessive vasoconstriction. This can also occur through pharmacodynamic mechanisms, as when ergopeptides or triptans are coadministered with methysergide or propranolol (although a pharmacokinetic element may apply in relation to the latter interaction), or if one migraine-specific agent is used shortly after another. When ergopeptide metabolism is inhibited by the presence of macrolide antibacterials, particularly troleandomycin and erythromycin, the resultant interaction can produce ergotism, sometimes leading to gangrene. Similar pharmacokinetic mechanisms, with their vasoconstrictive consequences, probably apply to combination of the ergopeptides with HIV protease inhibitors (indinavir and ritonavir), heparin, cyclosporin or tacrolimus. Inhibition of triptan metabolism by monoamine oxidase A inhibitors, e.g. moclobemide, may raise circulating triptan concentrations, although this does not yet seem to have led to reported clinical problems. Caffeine may cause increased plasma ergotamine concentrations through an as yet inadequately defined pharmacokinetic interaction. However, a direct antimigraine effect of caffeine may contribute to the claimed increased efficacy of ergotamine-caffeine combinations in relieving migraine attacks. Serotonin syndromes have been reported as probable pharmacodynamic consequences of the use of ergots or triptans in persons taking serotonin reuptake inhibitors. There have been two reports of involuntary movement disorders when sumatriptan has been used by patients already taking loxapine. Nearly all the clinically important interactions between the ergopeptide antimigraine agents and currently marketed drugs are likely to have already come to notice. In contrast, new interactions involving the triptans are likely to be recognised as additional members of this family of drugs, with their different patterns of metabolism and pharmacokinetics, are marketed.