Bronchial asthma improved after removal of a phaeochromocytoma.

It is uncommon for bronchial asthma to be a symptom of phaeochromocytoma. We describe a patient with a phaeochromocytoma who presented with worsening of her asthma and persistent dyspnoea between attacks. She had markedly elevated levels of catecholamines. After surgical resection of the phaeochromocytoma there was a lasting improvement of the bronchial asthma. We hypothesize that worsening of bronchial asthma in phaeochromocytoma patients may be due to catecholamine-induced deterioration of asthma.