Publicado

2020-07-01

Pheochromocytoma presenting as fever of unknown origin, a case report

Fiebre de origen desconocido secundaria a un feocromocitoma. Reporte de caso

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15446/cr.v6n2.84240

Palabras clave:

Pheochromocytoma, Fever of Unknown Origin, Interleukin-6 (en)
Feocromocitoma, Fiebre de origen desconocido, Interleucina-6 (es)

Autores/as

  • Angélica María González-Clavijo Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Bogotá Campus - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Physiological Sciences - Bogotá D.C. - Colombia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4745-0474
  • Juan David Muñoz-Loaiza Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Bogotá Campus - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Physiological Sciences - Bogotá D.C. - Colombia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1263-2147
  • Jennifer Daniela Guzmán-Rojas Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Bogotá Campus - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Physiological Sciences - Bogotá D.C. - Colombia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5484-4944
  • Johiner Jahir Vanegas-Antolinez Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Bogotá Campus - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Physiological Sciences - Bogotá D.C. - Colombia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2795-8847
  • Laura Natalia Bermúdez-Silva Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Bogotá Campus - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Physiological Sciences - Bogotá D.C. - Colombia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1868-7766
  • Luis Felipe Fierro-Maya Instituto Nacional de Cancerología - Department of Endocrinology - Bogotá D.C. - Colombia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1661-6574

Introduction: Pheochromocytoma is a generally benign neoplasm derived from chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla. It is characterized by the production of large amounts of catecholamines and also by the capacity to secrete bioactive peptides such as cytokines, mainly interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and TNF alpha.

Case presentation: 24-year-old man, who consulted for fever, myalgia, and choluria. His laboratory tests were compatible with a systemic inflammatory response without infectious or autoimmune causes. However, a fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDGPET) revealed a left adrenal mass, without extra-adrenal lesions. On admission, increased levels of differentiated urine methanephrines, elevated baseline cortisol, non-suppressed adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), and positive low dose dexamethasone suppression test for cortisol were found. With suspicion of catecholamine and ACTH-producing pheochromocytoma, a tumor resection was performed, which conspicuously resolved all alterations of the inflammatory response. The histologic findings confirmed a pheochromocytoma, but the immunostaining for ACTH was negative. A literature review and the comparison of the findings with other reported cases allowed inferring that this was a case of interleukin-producing pheochromocytoma.

Conclusion: Pheochromocytoma may be a cause of febrile syndrome, with IL-6 being the main mediator, which explains the manifestationsof systemic inflammation and ACTH-mediated hypercortisolism.

Introducción. Un feocromocitoma es una neoplasia generalmente benigna de las células cromafines de la médula suprarrenal que se caracteriza por producir grandes cantidades de catecolaminas y que tiene la capacidad de secretar citoquinas como interleucina-1 (IL-1), interleucina-6 (IL-6) y factor de necrosis tumoral (TNF) alfa.

Presentación del caso. Paciente masculino de 24 años de edad, quien consultó por fiebre, mialgias y coluria. El sujeto presentó laboratorios compatibles con respuesta inflamatoria sistémica sin causa infecciosa o autoinmune y estudio de tomografía por emisión de positrones con fluorodesoxiglucosa que evidenció masa suprarrenal izquierda sin lesiones extra-adrenales. Al ingreso, los niveles de metanefrinas diferenciadas en orina y de cortisol basal se encontraban elevados; la hormona adrenocorticotropa (ACTH) no estaba suprimida, y el test de supresión de cortisol con dexametasona registró rango de hipercortisolismo. Se sospechó diagnóstico de feocromocitoma productor de catecolaminas y ACTH, por lo que se llevó a resección tumoral, con lo cual, llamativamente, se resolvieron todas las anomalías de respuesta inflamatoria. El reporte de patología confirmó un feocromocitoma, pero la inmunotinción para ACTH fue negativa. La revisión de la literatura y la comparación de los hallazgos con otros casos reportados permitieron inferir que se trató de un feocromocitoma productor de interleucinas.

Conclusión. El feocromocitoma puede ser una causa de síndrome febril, siendo la IL-6 el mediador principal que explicaría las manifestaciones de inflamación sistémica y el hipercortisolismo mediado por ACTH.

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Fiebre de origen desconocido secundaria a un feocromocitoma. Reporte de caso. (2020). Case Reports, 6(2), 92-99. https://doi.org/10.15446/cr.v6n2.84240