Catecholamines are measured by urinalysis. These are Amines which include dopamine, norepinephrine and adrenaline. The reason why tests are usually required is linked to a presumed cardiovascular risk. Abnormal values ​​occur, in fact, in case of hypertension, angina pectoris, heart attack. It can rarely be used to diagnose pheochromocytoma. Catecholamines are eliminated through the kidneys in the form of metanephrine, normetanephrine and vanylmandelic acid.
- In-depth study: what is pheochromocytoma
Pheochromocytoma is a fairly rare tumor – we are talking about one person for every 100,000 inhabitants – but with a benign character that originates from cells of the sympathetic nervous system called chromaffins. These cells move to the adrenal area, to some carotid receptors and to the spinal ganglia where they form tissues similar to the original that store catecholamines.
How urine tests for catecholamines are done
To perform the urinalysis, collection within 24 hours is required. In this case, the urine must be taken into a 2.5-liter container – easily available in the analysis laboratory or in pharmacies. The first urine to be withdrawn is necessarily that in the morning, as soon as you wake up. It is essential to make a note of the time for each pick-up. If you have the habit of urinating even during the night, the sample should still be taken, noting the time. The 24-hour period must be followed carefully, consequently the pick-up time of the first one of the previous day must be identical to the last one of the following day. At this point the container is taken and shaken vigorously. Once your urine is thoroughly mixed,Normal values ​​of catecholamines
The values ​​of catecholamines remain almost unchanged from man to woman and are between 5 and 50 mcg (on average 20 mcg) of adrenaline and 50 and 100 mcg of noradrenaline. The latter is considered normal for some laboratories up to 105 mcg. Dopamine can be considered normal around 450mcg, while metanephrine should reach a maximum of 350. Normetanephrine at 450mcg. The latter two are considered more reliable because they are not affected by the intake of coffee, bananas, chocolate, alcohol and drugs. Alternatively, the suspension of antihypertensives, salicylates, barbiturates and MAO inhibitors may be required in the previous week. Total catecholamines
The correct value of total catecholamines is around 130 mg / 24 hours. High catecholamines. High
values ​​of high catecholamines may indicate the presence of pheochromocytoma, arterial hypertension or stress. Low
catecholamines These occur mainly in the case of plasma catecholamines (blood test), the reference value of which is 30-85 for adrenaline and 185-275 for noradrenaline. Below this threshold, adrenal insufficiency, Parkinson’s disease and autonomic pathologies can be suspected. What is adrenaline
Adrenaline – otherwise called epinephrine – is a hormone excreted in the adrenal gland from tyrosine, a well-known amino acid. Its purpose is to accelerate the heart rate, dilate the bronchial airways, increase resistance to sports and narrow the caliber of blood vessels. It is a neurotransmitter of the sympathetic nervous system which together with the parasympathetic constitutes the autonomic nervous system: that is, it controls involuntary functions. In addition to stress and fear, norepinephrine can be increased due to too bright lights and music, severe pain and asthma attacks, hypotension and hypoglycemia. Noradrenaline performs a similar function by mostly increasing cardiac output, coronary flow and blood pressure. To produce norepinephrine, however, stress,
