HYPERTENSIVE CARDIOMEGALY CAUSED BY AN ALDOSTERONE-SECRETING ADENOMA IN A NEWBORN

A case of primary hyperaldosteronism and cardiomegaly due to a unilate ral adrenal adenoma in a newborn is presented. Some peculiarities, mos t likely in relation to the onset of the disease during fetal life wer e evident: plasma cortisol was slightly increased before surgery, plas ma renin activity was elevated 9 months after surgery and mineralcorti coid receptors remained suppressed 4 months after surgery. Unilateral adrenalectomy reversed both hypertension and cardiomegaly, We speculat e that cardiomegaly was related to both hyperaldosteronism and hyperte nsion and that individual factors are involved in the pathogenesis of cardiomegaly in hyperaldosteronism. (C) 1997, Editrice Kurtis.