Korean J Med.
2013 Sep;85(3):334-337. 10.3904/kjm.2013.85.3.334.
A Case of Pheochromocytoma Misdiagnosed as Activation of Behcet's Disease
- Affiliations
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- 1Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea. leesy@dau.ac.kr
- KMID: 1722648
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjm.2013.85.3.334
Abstract
- A 30 year-old woman with a history of Behcet's disease was admitted to our clinic because of a paroxysmal attack of palpitations, headache, and ocular pain. Initially, we did not suspect a pheochromocytoma. We evaluated Behcet's disease activity because the cardiovascular and neurological symptoms mimicked those of Behcet's disease. Pheochromocytoma is often overlooked and can be fatal if not recognized and treated appropriately. In the present case, abdominal computerized tomography incidentally revealed a mass confirmed to be a pheochromocytoma in the left adrenal gland, and the tumor was successfully removed. This is the first Korean report of a pheochromocytoma in a patient with Behcet's disease. We suggest that pheochromocytoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of Behcet's disease if a patient presents with cardiovascular or neurological symptoms.
