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Case Reports
. 2021 Jun 15;8(6):71.
doi: 10.3390/jcdd8060071.

"Never Trust to General Impressions, My Boy, but Concentrate Yourself upon Details": An Unusual and Challenging Presentation of Pheochromocytoma

Umberto Barbero  1 , Mario Matta  2 , Mirko Parasiliti Caprino  3 , Francesca Maletta  4 , Giuseppe Giraudo  5 , Simone Frea  6 , Michele De Benedictis  1 , Mauro Maccario  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

"Never Trust to General Impressions, My Boy, but Concentrate Yourself upon Details": An Unusual and Challenging Presentation of Pheochromocytoma

Umberto Barbero et al. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis. .

Abstract

We present the case of a 45-year-old woman admitted to our unit with acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock, requiring an intra-aortic balloon pump insertion and inotropes and vasopressors infusion. Despite such treatment, the patient developed multi organ failure and intravascular disseminated coagulation with haemolysis. The initial diagnosis of acute myocarditis was subsequently denied by the finding of bilateral adrenal masses by MRI scan, and urine and plasma metanephrines measurements confirmed a pheochromocytoma (PCC). Genetic analysis revealed a mutation in the neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) gene, and an accurate physical examination drew attention to small cafè-au-lait spots, usually associated with this syndrome. PCC diagnosis should be promptly considered in patients presenting with unexplained acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock of unknown origin, considering its life-threatening complications and the good prognosis after radical surgery.

Keywords: acute cardiogenic shock; acute myocarditis; pheochromocytoma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no relationships that could be construed as a conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
EKG at admission.
Figure 2
Figure 2
In panel (A) the MRI image of left PCC (6 mm) and in panel (B) the MRI image of right PCC (40 mm).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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