[Does hormonal activity of pheochromocytoma affect long-term prognosis in surgically treated patients?]

89 patients were operated upon for pheochromocytoma. 61 patients (37 women and 24 men) were available for follow-up. Mean age at operation was 39 +/- 12.3 yrs. Before operation paroxysmal and sustained hypertension were observed in 34 (55.7%) and 27 (44.3%) patients, respectively. Postoperatively permanent normalization of blood pressure was achieved in 38 cases (62.3%). All patients were divided into four groups. Group I with increased urine excretion of noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (A) consisted of 19 (31.1%) patients. Group II (increased NA excretion) included 27 (44.3%) patients. Group III comprised 3 (4.9%) cases with elevated A excretion. 12 (19.7%) patients with normal urinary excretion of catecholamines and increased excretion of methoxycatecholamines were alloted to group IV. Permanent normalization of blood pressure predominantly was observed in group IV--91.6%, whilst in group I, II and III this hypotensive effect was noted in 57.9%, 51.8% and 2/3, respectively. Permanent normalization of blood pressure can be mainly expected in patients with pheochromocytoma in whom catecholamines are rapidly inactivated within the tumor.