Phaeochromocytoma masquerading as anxiety and depression

Patient: Female, 36 Final Diagnosis: Pheochromocytoma Symptoms: Anxiety • depression Medication: - Clinical Procedure: - Specialty: Oncology • endocrinology.

Unusual clinical course, Mistake in diagnosis.

Pheochromocytoma is a rare catecholamine-producing neuroendocrine tumour with protean clinical manifestations, which can mimic a variety of conditions, often resulting in erroneous and delayed diagnosis.

A case of undiagnosed pheochromocytoma in a 36 year old female with a 15 year history of anxiety and depression is described. The patient collapsed while on the phone to the next of kin and stopped breathing. She was initially revived but suffered a cardiac arrest and died. At autopsy an undiagnosed adrenal pheochromocytoma was found.

When considering a diagnosis of anxiety and depression, medical causes of the symptoms must be excluded. Common conditions, such as thyroid disorders, stimulant abuse, asthma, cardiac arrhythmias, alcohol withdrawal and rarely pheochromocytoma, causing a similar spectrum of symptoms should be excluded by history and clinical examination.