ES13 PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA – AN ANALYSIS OF 123 PATIENTS.

Background Pheochromocytomas are diagnosed in <1% of patient evaluated for hypertension. Methodology A retrospective analysis of case records of those patients with histopathologically confirmed pheochromocytoma in our hospital from 1976–2006 [30 YEARS] was conducted. Result A total of 123 patients were diagnosed during this period. The median age at presentation was 31 years (range 9–71) with a male to female sex distribution of 75% and 36%. 80% were hypertensive at the time of diagnosis. Headache(84%), palpitations(64%) and sweating(60%) are the most common presenting complaints.Tachycardia [>100 per minute]were seen in 31%. Hypertensive changes in eyes were seen in 87%. In ECG, QTc prolongation in 26%, left ventricular hypertrophy in 30%. Diabetes mellitus/IGT was seen in 35%. Elevated urinary VMA (24 hrs) was seen in 93% when done on 3 consecutive days. MIBG was positive in 85%. Malignant pheochromocytoma was diagnosed by tumour invasion/metastasis seen 10.44%. Extra adrenal pheochromocytoma 18%, followed by bilateral pheochromocytoma in 11%. Hereditary pheochromocytoma in 13% which include 5 with Von Hippel Lindau and 6 with MEN. A median follow-up was 12 months (range 1–204) in which persistent hypertension was seen in 16%. Cholelithiasis in 7%. Conclusion In our case series the mean age (31 yrs) of presentation seems to be younger compared to other case series. 16% of our patients were asymptomatic at the time of presentation. Urinary VMA was elevated in 93% of patients when done in 3 consecutive samples. Extra adrenal pheo was common in our patients (18%). MIBG was false negative in 15% of those patients with pheochromocytoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]