Biochemical Diagnosis of Phaeochromocytoma and Paraganglioma in Children and Adolescents: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors' conclusion
Plasma free and 24-h urinary fractionated metanephrines are both reliable screening tests for PPGL in children and adolescents. The plasma panel may be useful for early detection of noradrenergic PPGL relevant for children tested within surveillance programs due to hereditary risk of noradrenergic tumours.
Study context
- Population
- Paediatric patients aged 5 to 18 years tested for PPGL; 64 with and 74 without PPGL
- Participants
- 138 vs 89
- Exposure
- Plasma free metanephrines vs 24-h urinary fractionated metanephrines
- Plasma metanephrinesn = 138
- Urinary metanephrinesn = 89
- Outcome
- Diagnostic reliability (sensitivity, specificity) of plasma free and 24-h urinary fractionated metanephrines for PPGL screening
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Diagnostic performance for PPGL
| Group | Sensitivity | Specificity |
|---|---|---|
| Plasma metanephrines | 92% | 96% |
| Urinary metanephrines | 92% | 91% |
Sensitivity
Plasma metanephrines92%
Urinary metanephrines92%
Specificity
Plasma metanephrines96%
Urinary metanephrines91%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Plasma metanephrines | Urinary metanephrines | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fold increase of normetanephrine above upper cut-off in children with PPGLLarger fold increase with plasma | 9.5-fold | 7.1-fold | P < 0.001 |
Intra-individual temporal measurements
- Subsequent increases of plasma normetanephrine may be associated with early-stage development of a noradrenergic PPGL
- Sub-analysis
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
Biochemical Diagnosis of Phaeochromocytoma and Paraganglioma in Children and Adolescents: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). Published 21 August 2025. doi:10.
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