Keywords
Pseudopheochromocytoma, paroxysmal hypertension, levodopa, Parkinson’s disease
Abstract
Pseudopheochromocytoma is a pathological condition presenting with paroxysmal hypertension with normal or moderate elevation in catecholamines and metanephrine levels, but no evidence of a tumoural cause. Imaging studies and I-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy are essential for exclusion of pheocromocytoma.
We describe a case of pseudopheochromocytoma related to levodopa in a patient with paroxysmal hypertension, headache, sweating, palpitations and increased plasmatic and urinary metanephrine levels, without adrenal or extra-adrenal tumour. The beginning of the patient´s clinical symptoms coincided with the initiation of the levodopa treatment and the complete resolution of the symptoms occurred after the discontinuation of levodopa.
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