An Autopsy Case of Sudden Death in Neurofibromatosis Type 1 With Pheochromocytoma and Myocarditis

Cardiovascular events and biochemically negative paragangliomas: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To study cardiovascular morbidity in patients with biochemically inactive pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus databases were searched by two independent reviewers to identify relevant studies. Twenty-four case reports (n = 24 patients) met the inclusion criteria providing data on the cardiovascular status of biochemically negative pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas patients. Methodological quality was assessed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations system, and all included studies were assessed for the risk of bias. This systematic review was conducted in conformance with the PRISMA statement and registered to PROSPERO (ID: CRD42024530601).

RESULTS

Almost half of patients (46%) presented objective abnormal findings on noninvasive cardiovascular examination performed routinely before surgery, whereas 67% complained of pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma-related symptoms (angina, headache, diaphoresis, shortness of breath, palpitations) and exhibited relevant clinical signs (hypertension, tachycardia, tachypnea, pallor). Preoperatively, only 38% of patients with biochemically negative pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas were treated with alpha-blockers, 25% did not receive any pharmaceutical preparation whereas data were not available for the remaining 37% of patients. Following an uneventful surgery, 70% of patients exhibited resolution of the preoperatively detected cardiovascular symptoms and signs.

CONCLUSION

The high occurrence of cardiovascular abnormalities in patients with pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas characterized as "biochemically negative" based on routine biochemical analyses highlights the difficulty in the appropriate classification of these tumors regarding their secretory profile and thus the risk of missing cardiovascular system involvement with potentially deleterious effects.

Screening for Hereditary Pheochromocytoma in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: A Case Report

Pheochromocytoma (PHEO) is a rare tumour that arises from adreno-medullary chromaffin cells and secretes catecholamines. These hormones are also secreted by paragangliomas, which derive from extra-adrenal cells of the sympathetic paravertebral ganglia. At least one-third of PHEOs are familial. Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), or von Recklinghausen's disease, is diagnosed upon clinical criteria, and the study of PHEO is advised if hypertension is present. The incidence of PHEO in NF1 is 0.1-5.7% and explains hypertension in 20-50% of these patients. Recent advances in the treatment of this condition and preoperative preparation allow us to reduce its high cardiovascular morbimortality. Here we present the case of a 31-year-old female with known NF1 who presented with 5 months' history of non-specific symptoms and an episode of intraoperative hypertensive crisis. The workup detected a left sided PHEO, which was treated surgically. Our case illustrates the high prevalence of hereditary PHEO and how its presentation can go unnoticed. It reinforces the significance of screening for PHEO in patients with NF1.

Case Report of Fulminant Eosinophilic Myocarditis With Concomitant Pheochromocytoma

A 33-year-old woman presented with fulminant eosinophilic myocarditis requiring venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a retroperitoneal mass that was eventually diagnosed as a pheochromocytoma. This case highlights the need for a comprehensive diagnostic workup for acute cardiomyopathy manifesting as cardiogenic shock in young patients and the benefit of early initiation of mechanical support facilitating both diagnosis and recovery.

Screening for Hereditary Pheochromocytoma in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: A Case Report

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Pheochromocytoma Multisystem Crisis and Masquerading Disseminated Histoplasmosis in a Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Patient With Bilateral Adrenal Tumors

Pheochromocytomas are rare catecholamine-secreting neuroendocrine tumors that can occasionally progress to life-threatening disease, including a multisystem crisis. Patients with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) may develop pheochromocytomas, and the consequent chronic elevation of plasma catecholamine levels could further complicate various cardiovascular and pulmonary manifestations they may have. A 37-year-old African American female with NF1 presented with severe dyspnea, chills, myalgia, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Within several hours of hospital admission, she developed progressive agitation and died from circulatory collapse. An autopsy revealed disseminated histoplasmosis with necrotizing granulomatosis in her lungs, mediastinum, liver, and spleen, as well as bilateral pheochromocytomas with one tumor showing marked hemorrhage. Additionally, she had cardiac hypertrophy, myocarditis, pulmonary edema, apical bullae, features of pulmonary hypertension and interstitial fibrosis. Disseminated histoplasmosis caused by the fungal organism Histoplasma capsulatum is rarely described in immunocompetent individuals. This case is presented to illustrate that chronic hypercatecholaminemia caused by pheochromocytomas may potentially mask disseminated fungal infections which in turn could induce pheochromocytoma multisystem crisis in susceptible patients with neurofibromatosis.