A Case of Adrenal Pheochromocytoma Presenting with Anxiety

Abstract

Pheochromocytoma is a rare, neuroendocrine tumor secreting catecholamine, arising from chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla. Also, very rare cause of secondary hypertension in pediatric age, and however, it is important to suspect. Presentation of this tumor is highly variable but the most common pediatric cases being persistent hypertension, tachycardia, sweating, and headache. In addition, anxiety, weight loss and recurrent hypertension may also appear among the clinical manifestations of the disease. The diagnosis requires measurement of plasma metanephrines, with imaging studies performed for localization and identification of metastatic lesions. The definitive management of hypertension is surgical. We present a case with pheochromocytoma that was previously diagnosed as anxiety due to tachycardia associated with hypertension.