Free plasma metanephrines as a screening test for pheochromocytoma in low-risk patients

• DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0b013e32813aeb5a
• Publication Date: 2007-06-11T08:03:26Z
• Authors: Jan Václavík; David Stejskal; Bořek Lačňák; Marie Lazárová; Libor Jedelský; Lenka Kadalová; Marie Janošová; Zdeněk Fryšák; Petr Vlček
• Keywords: Metanephrines; Metanephrines; Normetanephrine

Detection of free plasma metanephrines seems to be the most exact method for biochemical diagnosis pheochromocytoma, but their diagnostic efficacy in common low-risk clinical settings is debated.A cross-sectional multicentre study including 1260 subjects assessed metanephrine and normetanephrine patients screened resistant or markedly accelerated hypertension, paroxysmal 'flushes' and, a small proportion, adrenal incidentaloma genetic predisposition pheochromocytoma.Pheochromocytoma was identified verified by histology 25 (2%), with not confirmed long-term follow-up use imaging techniques remaining 1235 individuals. The combined assay highly sensitive (100%) specific (96.7%) measure, yielding negative predictive value 100%.The satisfactory allows as single screening test cases suspected pheochromocytoma population low pretest probability.