Long-Term Effect of Adrenalectomy on Cardiovascular Remodeling in Patients With Pheochromocytoma.

Context: Catecholamines may contribute to the accumulation of collagen fibers and extracellular matrix in the arterial and myocardial wall due to various mechanisms. Reversibility of this process has not been studied on both structures simultaneously.

Objective: To clarify the long-term effect of excess normalization of catecholamines on carotid and myocardial wall changes in patients with pheochromocytoma or functional paraganglioma (PHEO) after tumor removal.

High incidence of cardiovascular complications in pheochromocytoma.

Excess of catecholamines in pheochromocytoma is usually accompanied with classical symptoms and signs. In some cases, severe cardiovascular complications (e. g.

Factors influencing arterial stiffness in pheochromocytoma and effect of adrenalectomy.

The aim of the study was to evaluate arterial stiffness and its modulating factors measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and central augmentation index (AI) in patients with pheochromocytoma (PHEO) before and after surgery. Forty-five patients with PHEO and 45 healthy controls were investigated using an applanation tonometer (SphygmoCor, AtCor Medical). The gender, age, BMI and lipid profiles were comparable among both groups.

[Pheochromocytoma: diagnosis and treatment].

Pheochromocytoma (pheo) is adrenal or less frequently extraadrenal tumour of chromafine tissue. Pheos are rare, but cardiovascular and metabolic abnormalities are common. Unrecognised pheo may lead to fatal hypertensive crisis during anesthesia or other stresses.

Increased carotid intima-media thickness in patients with pheochromocytoma in comparison to essential hypertension.

Catecholamines due to various mechanisms may contribute to the accumulation of collagen fibers and extracellular matrix in the arterial wall. The aim of this study was to compare intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery (CCA) and carotid bifurcation (CB) in patients with pheochromocytoma, essential hypertension and healthy controls. Carotid ultrasound studies were carried out in 30 patients with pheochromocytoma matched for age and gender with 80 patients with essential hypertension and 40 normotensive controls.