ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Related to Potential Spontaneous Coronary Thrombosis in Pheochromocytoma Crisis

An Incidental Finding of a Large Pheochromocytoma in an Asymptomatic Male: A Case Report

Pheochromocytoma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor that secretes excess catecholamines. Patients present with a classical triad of headache, palpitations, and sweating. If untreated, pheochromocytoma can result in life-threatening cardiovascular complications. Diagnosing pheochromocytoma is often challenging due to its atypical presentation, infrequent occurrence, and the fact that a small number of patients are asymptomatic, and very few pheochromocytomas are malignant. Here, we report a case of an 80-year-old man who was referred to the endocrine clinic after an incidental finding of an adrenal tumour. He did not have any symptoms related to pheochromocytoma. He had a 20-year complex cardiac history, including nine cardiac ischemic events, seven coronary artery stent placements, and a coronary bypass grafting procedure. He remained symptomatic, and coronary angiographic studies continued to demonstrate obstructed coronary arteries despite being on adequate secondary prevention. He also had type 1 diabetes, hypertension, and subclinical hypothyroidism. Both urinary and plasma catecholamines were elevated, confirming a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. A computed tomography scan demonstrated a right subpleural mass and a left adrenal mass. A dedicated magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed a large left heterogenous adrenal lesion. A fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scan suggested that the subpleural mass and the adrenal mass could be malignant. He was commenced on medical treatment (alpha-blockade) and had no further ischaemic-related symptoms or cardiac events. Serial scans thereafter have indicated no increase in the size of both lesions. This case serves as a reminder and highlights the importance of asymptomatic pheochromocytoma.

Left anterior descending artery disease in a 27-year-old with multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 2A: A case report

Multiple endocrine neoplasia 2A is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by medullary thyroid cancer, pheochromocytoma, and primary hyperparathyroidism. Coronary artery disease is associated with the disorder, but the mechanism is unclear. A 27-year-old female presented with chest pain and palpitations. A left heart catheterization was performed and showed 80% stenosis of the left anterior descending artery. Imaging and workup also revealed primary hyperparathyroidism associated with a parathyroid adenoma and elevated serum and urine metanephrines and norepinephrines. A computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a large heterogeneous right adrenal mass measuring 7.9 cm × 6.8 cm × 8 cm consistent with a pheochromocytoma. The patient subsequently underwent adrenal mass resection and a complete thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy. Early recognition and treatment of multiple endocrine neoplasia 2A can possibly reduce the risk of lethal heart disease in addition to the other associated endocrine disturbances.

Unusual case report of malignant pheochromocytoma presenting with STEMI

Background

Pheochromocytomas (PHEOs) are a group of tumours that leads to multiple symptoms and can induce hypercoagulability and promote thrombosis. Pheochromocytomas may also present without elevated serum and urinary markers. We aimed to provide tips and tricks for the diagnostic and therapeutic management of an unusual case of PHEOs.

Case summary

Thirty-four-year-old woman with the unremarkable medical history presented with epigastric pain and dyspnoea. Electrocardiogram showed ST-segment elevation in the inferior limb leads. She underwent an emergency coronary angiogram, which showed a high thrombus burden in the distal right coronary artery. A subsequent echocardiogram demonstrated a 31 × 33 mm right atrial mass adhering to the inferior vena cava and abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a 113 × 85 mm necrotic mass in the left adrenal bed, with tumour thrombus extending proximally to the confluence of hepatic veins immediately inferior to the right atrium and distally to iliac vein bifurcation. Blood parameters, thrombophilia panel, vanillylmandelic acid, 5 hydroxy indole acetic acid, and homovanillic acid levels were normal. Tissue sampling confirmed the diagnosis of PHEOs. The surgical procedure was not planned due to the presence of metastatic foci on imaging, including positron emission tomography (PET)-CT. Anticoagulation with rivaroxaban and treatment with ¹⁷⁷Lu-DOTATATE-based peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) was initiated.

Discussion

The coexistence of arterial and venous thrombosis is extremely rare in patients with PHEOs. Multidisciplinary approaches are required for the care of such patients. Catecholamines likely contributed to the development of thrombosis in our patient. Early recognition of PHEOs is the key point to ameliorate clinical outcomes.

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.

Cardiovascular Manifestations and Complications of Pheochromocytomas and Paragangliomas

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare neuro-endocrine tumors. The catecholamine surge causes paroxysmal or chronic secondary hypertension. PPGLs may present as hypertensive- or PPGL-crisis with severe life-threatening cardiac and cerebrovascular complications. PPGLs-induced cardiac manifestations have been reported with diagnoses as PPGLs-induced electrocardiogram (ECG) changes “mimicking acute myocardial infarction”, arrhythmias, myocarditis, acute coronary syndrome, dilated cardiomyopathy, and lately as takotsubo syndrome. Critical analysis of these reports reveals that most of these cardiac manifestations have certain features in common. They have a dramatic clinical presentation and are reversible if the disease is treated with appropriate medical therapy and surgical resection of the PPGL tumor. They may have the same repolarization ECG changes irrespective of the clinical cardiac diagnosis, usually associated with mild to moderate elevations of myocardial biomarkers as troponins and normal coronary arteries. The histopathological findings are usually focal or multifocal in the form hypercontracted sarcomeres and contraction band necrosis (myofibrillar degeneration) with subsequent secondary mononuclear cell infiltration. Evidences argue the PPGL caused surge of catecholamines triggers hyperactivation of the sympathetic nervous system with cardiac sympathetic nerve terminal disruption with norepinephrine spillover causing the cardiac complications. A comprehensive review of various reported cardiovascular manifestations and complications of PPGLs are presented.