SFEBES2013 Poster Presentations Clinical biochemistry (22 abstracts)
Role of urinary dopamine in investigation of phaeochromocytoma/paraganglioma
Christopher Smith 1 , Marie Freel 1 , Colin Perry 1 , Fraser Davidson 1, , Karen Smith 1, & Yannick Tautphaus 1,
1Western Infirmary, Glasgow, UK; 2Crosshouse Hospital, Ayrshire, UK; 3Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK; 4University of Lubeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
Introduction: There is controversy over which form of biochemical testing is best for screening for phaeochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PHAEO/PGL). Measurement of plasma metanephrines is the most sensitive test but is less specific and lacks widespread availability, and so many centres opt to measure 24-h urinary excretion of catecholamines and metanephrines. However, the standard 24-h urinary catecholamine profile also includes dopamine (DA), vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and homovanillic acid (HVA).
The aim of the current study was to determine the additional value of measuring urinary DA in the diagnosis of PHAEO/PGL by reviewing patients who had elevated DA in isolation.
Methods: We reviewed 2161 (1118 cases) 24-h urinary catecholamine profiles analysed by HPLC and electrochemical detection at Crosshouse Hospital, Ayrshire between 2007 and 2010. We then reviewed the cases where an isolated DA elevation was seen.
Results: Ninety one samples (4.2%) demonstrated an elevation in 24-h urinary DA which corresponded to 51 cases (4.6%). 18 cases (1.6%) demonstrated elevated urinary DA in isolation. None of these had current evidence of PHAEO/PGL.
Conclusion: Elevated 24-h urinary DA excretion in isolation is unusual and of the cases we identified, there was no situation where this was of clinical relevance. These data would support the removal of urinary dopamine from the conventional urinary catecholamine profile (unless there is high suspicion of a DA secreting PGL) as in our series it had no impact on diagnostic yield and may lead to unnecessary investigations.
Article tools
My recent searches
My recently viewed abstracts
Endocrine Abstracts
ISSN 1470-3947 (print) | ISSN 1479-6848 (online)
© Bioscientifica 2024 |
Privacy policy |
Cookie settings
BiosciAbstracts
Bioscientifica Abstracts is the gateway to a series of products that provide a permanent, citable record of abstracts for biomedical and life science conferences.
Find out more