[Pseudo pheochromocytoma induced by professional stress: A case report]

An elevation of plasma or urinary catecholamines or their metabolites in the context of a suspicion of a secondary hypertension associated with paroxysms generally leads to the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. However, this is not always true.

We report the case of a 39-year old man with a severe hypertension that was resistant to drug therapy and associated with paroxysms. Urinary fractioned metanephrines were elevated. However, no tumor could be found on tomodensitometry and MIBG scintigraphy. Thus, the causes of pseudopheochromocytoma were reviewed and the diagnosis of professional stress was finally held. In fact, his professional redeployment resulted in an improvement of blood pressure levels, the disappearance of paroxysms and the normalization of urinary metanephrines.

This observation involves professional stress in pseudo pheochromocytoma.