[Adrenal medullary hyperplasia: a rare etiology of arterial hypertension--report of a case]

Abstract

Adrenal medullary hyperplasia is often misdiagnosed. The clinical features may resemble those of pheochromocytoma, with paroxysmal hypertension and elevated urinary catecholamine and metanephrine levels. Pathologic study shows diffuse or nodular adrenal medullary hyperplasia, determined by morphometric analysis: increased adrenal gland weight, increased relative medullary volume, increased relative medullary weight, decreased cortico-medullary ratio. Adrenal medullary hyperplasia may be primary or sporadic, but is often associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type II.