Rare Presentation of a Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasm Presenting with Atrial Flutter
  • Paraskevi C Fragkou
    4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
  • Ioannis A Papadopoulos
    5th Department of Internal Medicine, Hygeia General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • Antonios Papadopoulos
    4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
  • Evangelos-Achilleas Kontoveros
    Ultrasound Department, Hygeia General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • Gregory Kaltsas
    1st Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Laikon General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
  • Foula Vassilara
    Hygeia General Hospital, Athens

Keywords

Neuroendocrine neoplasms, carcinoid heart disease, carcinoid syndrome, supraventricular tachycardia, atrial flutter

Abstract

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PanNENs) rarely secrete serotonin, which is the main cause of carcinoid syndrome. One of its unusual manifestations is carcinoid heart disease or Hedinger’s syndrome which is seldom accompanied by cardiac arrhythmias. We report the case of an 88-year-old woman who presented with recently experienced episodes of palpitations and a newly developed atrial flutter with a ventricular rate of 130 beats per minute. Echocardiography revealed thickened and tethered tricuspid and pulmonary valve leaflets causing severe valvular regurgitation and right ventricular dilatation. Episodes of intermittent diarrhoea over the previous 2 years were mentioned, making carcinoid syndrome our working diagnosis. The 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels in a 24-hour urine collection specimen were elevated. Conventional imaging studies and a Ga-68 dodecane tetraacetic acid tyrosine-3-octreotate (DOTATATE) positron emission tomography/computer tomography (PET/CT) scan revealed the presence of a metastatic PanNEN arising from the pancreatic tail. The patient was managed with lanreotide and telotristat with remarkable improvement of her symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of carcinoid syndrome presenting with atrial flutter as the initial symptom.

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    Published: 2021-01-20
    Issue: 2021: Vol 8 No 1 (view)


    How to cite:
    1.
    Fragkou PC, Papadopoulos IA, Papadopoulos A, Kontoveros E-A, Kaltsas G, Vassilara F. Rare Presentation of a Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasm Presenting with Atrial Flutter. EJCRIM 2021;8 doi:10.12890/2021_002216.