[A case report of aldosterone-producing adrenocortical adenoma complicated with chronic renal failure associated with nephrocalcinosis: review of APAs complicated with chronic renal failure].

Abstract

A 57-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of dyspnea due to congestive heart failure caused by hypertensive heart disease in September, 1992. Twenty years ago, he was diagnosed to be hypertensive, and in 1980, he was diagnosed to at our hospital to have primary aldosteronism (PA) due to a right aldosterone-producing adrenocortical adenoma (APA). There were no hypertensive vascular complications at that time. He refused surgical removal, and anti-hypertensive drugs including spironolactone were administered. However, his drug compliance was very inaccurate. On this recent admission, left ventricular hypertrophy associated with impaired contractivity, hypertensive retinal change and mild protein uria were noted, but no hematuria was detected. His renal function was impaired (Ccr: 15.2ml/min). An abdominal CT scan showed a typical right APA, bilateral renal atrophy and fine granular calcification at renal medulla, even though he had no hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria. In addition, multiple cerebral infarction was demonstrated by a brain CT scan, along with coronary artery stenoses at the right coronary artery and left circumflex branch by coronary angiography and bilateral multiple renal artery stenoses by renal angiography. Right adrenalectomy and renal biopsy were performed. Histological examinations revealed a yellow tan-colored APA, many sclerotic glomerulus, and severely hyarinized renal arterioles. After adrenalectomy, blood pressure was not normalized but was controlled easily by hypotensive agents. Impaired renal function was not improved and deteriorated slightly but did not get worse there after. Since 1959, including ours, 22 cases of APAs complicated with chronic renal failure were reported in Japan. In conclusion, surgical removal should be recommended for APA, even if the patient's condition is complicated with chronic renal failure.