[Chromaffine tumours: diagnosis and catamnestic features based on the data collected at the Institute of Experimental Therapy between 1949 and 1974 (author's transl)].

From 1949 to 1974, urine samples of 1669 patients with unclarified arterial hypertension were tested for non-conjugated catecholamines. Chromaffine tumours--among them one pheochromoblastoma and two families with inherited forms--were found in 1.1% of all cases. With the procedure applied, adrenergic alpha- and/or beta-mimetic actions on the circulation of cats can be identified when the excretion of total catecholamines is increased by the factor 1.5 to 2.0. Hence, chromaffine tumours with smaller excretion rates (about 200 mug/24 h) are also detectable, so in one case where the excretion of vanillyl-mandelic acid was normal. Thus all prerequisites concerning sensitivity and specificity of a screening method are fulfilled. The large variety of symptoms of chromaffine tumours becomes obvious from the catamnestic data of 19 patients indicating problems which may arise in differential diagnosis.