Catecholamines - urine

Drugs that can decrease catecholamine measurements include:

clonidine
disulfiram
guanethidine
imipramine
MAO inhibitors
phenothiazines
salicylates
reserpine

How the test will feel:

The test involves only normal urination, and there is no discomfort.

Why the test is performed:

The test is primarily usedto diagnose pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma, and to monitor the effectiveness of their treatments. Urinecatecholamine levels are elevated inthe majority ofneuroblastoma cases.

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Catecholamines are small, chemically similar molecules derived from the amino acid tyrosine. The major catecholamines are dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (old name: adrenalin).

All of the catecholamines arebroken downby their target tissues (such as the brain) or by the liverand become inactive substances that appear in the urine:

dopamine becomes Homovanillic acid (HVA)
norepinephrine becomes normetanephrine and Vanillylmandelic acid (VMA)
epinephrine becomes metanephrine and VMA

References:

The Neuroblastoma Hope Foundation. Diagnostic Criteria.Available at:http://www.acor.org/nbl/diagnost.htm. Accessed May 17, 2005.

Wilson SP, Kamin DL, Feldman JM. Acetaminophen administration interferes with urinary metanephrine (and catecholamine) determinations. Clin Chem. 1985;31(6):1093-4.