J Korean Soc Endocrinol.  2001 Oct;16(4-5):502-507.

A Case of Cured Diabetes Mellitus after Pheochromocytoma Removal

• Hong CK
• Ahn YB
• Kim SH
• Woo YS
• Lee SG
• Ko SH
• Song HK
• Yoon KH
• Kang MI
• Cha BY
• Lee KW
• Son HY
• Kang SK

Abstract

Pheochromocytoma is usually associated with a combination of various clinical manifestations caused by the overproduction of catecholamines. It is frequently accompanied by impaired glucose tolerance operating through 2-and-adrenergic mechanisms. A 41-year-old-woman was admitted to the hospital because of poorly-controlled diabetes mellitus and hypertension. She had suffered intermittent paroxysmal attacks of headache and chest discomfort and had been treated intermittently over a 2 year period for diabetes mellitus and hypertension. At admission, the levels of serum epinephrine, norepinephrine urinary excretion of total metanephrine, and VMA were all abnormally elevated. Adrenal CT showed a well-defined, homogenous mass in the right adrenal region and the tumor was diagnosed as pheochromocytoma. After tumor resection, the increased blood level of catecholamines, the urinary excretion of total metanephrine, and VMA were normalized, as was the hyperglycemia state. Diabetes mellitus of the patient was considered permanently resolved after tumor removal by the result of glucose tolerance in 75g oral glucose tolerance test.

MeSH Terms

Catecholamines
Diabetes Mellitus*
Epinephrine
Glucose
Glucose Intolerance
Glucose Tolerance Test
Headache
Humans
Hyperglycemia
Hypertension
Metanephrine
Norepinephrine
Pheochromocytoma*
Thorax
Catecholamines
Epinephrine
Glucose
Metanephrine
Norepinephrine