Catecholamines in plasma
Material: | 4 ml EDTA-plasma, divide plasma as soon as possible (Stability in plasma at4°C – 8°C: 2 days). In case of longer storage or postal shipping, please freeze plasma. The evaluation of metanephrine and normetanephrine in plasma can be used for screening of pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas. To avoid false-positive results, blood extraction should be done in an empty-stomached patient after resting in supine position for 20 – 30 minutes, via a previously inserted venous catheter. Due to the uniform use of frozen EDTA-plasma, glutathione tubes are no longer required. 2 – 3 days before the test, coffee, tea, nicotine, alcohol, chocolate, banana, eggs and nuts should be avoided. As far as reasonable, all medication should be discontinued 7 – 14 days prior to test. Theophylline, MAO-inhibitors, phenothiazine, methyldopa, and levodopa can be responsible for an increased catecholamine release for up to 2 weeks and should definitely be discontinued. Diuretics, alpha- and beta-receptor blockers, vasodilators, calcium-antagonists, angiotensin-II-antagonists and ACE-inhibitors, Clonidine (Catapressan®) should also be discontinued where possible. A strong sympathicus stimulation through hypoglycemia, physical exertion or increased intracranial pressure can also lead to increased catecholamine release. |
Methods: | Hochleistungsflüssigkeitschromatographie (HPLC) → Hochleistungsflüssigkeitschromatographie (HPLC) | Reference range | Adrenalin Noradrenalin Dopamine |
Indication | Suspicion of secondary hypertension, diagnosis and progress checks of pheochromocytoma or pheochromocytoma-paraganglioma-syndrome, screening in case of MEN 2A, neurofibromatosis type 1, Hippel-Lindau syndrome and Incidentaloma. Neuroblastomas (in connection to vanillic acid and homovanillylmandelic acid), ganglioneuroma |
Please note | It has to be mentioned, that missing catecholamine release does not rule out pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma, as there are asecretory variants, which appear especially at a higher age. Furthermore, dopamine production should be considered in clinically unapparent pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas, hence dopamine or its degradation product 3-methoxytyramine (only in plasma) should be determined. |
Accredited | ja |
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