Plm. Dahia et al., LOW CORD-BLOOD LEVELS OF CATECHOLAMINE FROM A NEWBORN OF A PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA PATIENT, European journal of endocrinology, 130(3), 1994, pp. 217-219
Association of pheochromocytoma and pregnancy is rare and usually rela
ted to high maternal and fetal mortality rates. Maternal effects of th
e tumor have been studied extensively and the clinical outcome has mar
kedly improved during the last decade. However, the role of excess cat
echolamines on fetal development has been discussed very little. We re
port here a case of pheochromocytoma during pregnancy, in which catech
olamine levels from the cord blood were low despite simultaneous eleva
ted maternal values (1.93 and 29.46 nmol/l norepinephrine, respectivel
y), possibly owing to the high activity of the catecholamine degradati
ve enzymes monoamine oxidase and COMT at the placental level. We sugge
st that in pregnancies complicated by pheochromocytoma, fetal well-bei
ng may be related mainly to good control of maternal blood pressure in
stead of to the amount of catecholamines in the fetal circulation, bec
ause the placenta performs a protective role through an effective proc
ess of hormone inactivation.