What is Urine Catecholamines Test

Urine catecholamines test is used to screen for tumors that produce a type of hormone called catecholamines. Catecholamines are hormones produced in your adrenal glands. They are known as the stress hormones because they normally increase when you have physical or emotional stress. Certain tumors can also cause a high level of catecholamines to be released in your body.

Your health care provider may perform this test to screen for these hormones, or to monitor tumor activity.

What is being tested?

This test measures the levels of catecholamines, vanillylmandelic acid (VMA), and homovanillic acid (HVA) in your urine. The primary catecholamines are dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. VMA and HVA are products of the breakdown of certain catecholamines.

What kind of sample is taken?

A urine sample is required for this test. It is collected in a germ-free (sterile) container given to you by the lab.

How do I collect samples at home?

You may be asked to collect urine samples at home over a 24-hour period. Follow instructions from a health care provider about how to collect the samples.

When collecting a urine sample at home, make sure you:

• Use supplies and instructions that you received from the lab.
• Collect urine only in the sterile cup that you received from the lab.
• Do not let any toilet paper or stool (feces) get into the cup.
• Refrigerate the sample until you can return it to the lab.
• Return the samples to the lab as instructed.

How do I prepare for this test?

Certain factors can affect the results of this test. To get the most accurate results, you should do the following for 2–3 days before and throughout the 24-hour collection period:

• Avoid these foods:
  • Coffee and tea.
  • Chocolate and cocoa.
  • Bananas.
  • Licorice.
  • Citrus fruits.
  • All foods containing vanilla.
• Avoid taking blood pressure medicines (antihypertensives), aspirin, and aspirin-containing products. Your health care provider may instruct you to avoid taking all medicines during the 24-hour collection period.
• Avoid excessive physical activity and emotional stress. These may cause elevated levels of catecholamines.

How are the results reported?

Your test results will be reported as values for each of the substances tested. Your health care provider will compare your results to normal ranges that were established after testing a large group of people (reference ranges). Reference ranges may vary among labs and hospitals. For this test, common reference ranges are:

VMA

• Adult or elderly: less than 6.8 mg/24 hr or less than 35 μmol/24 hr (SI units).
• Adolescent: 1–5 mg/24 hr.
• Child: 1–3 mg/24 hr.
• Infant: less than 2 mg/24 hr.
• Newborn: less than 1 mg/24 hr.

HVA

• 15 years old and older: not applicable.
• 10–14 years old: less than 12 mg/g creatinine.
• 5–9 years old: less than 9 mg/g creatinine.
• 2–4 years old: less than 13.5 mg/g creatinine.
• 1 year old: less than 23 mg/g creatinine.
• Less than 1 year old: less than 35 mg/g creatinine.

Free catecholamines

• Less than 100 mcg/24 hr or less than 590 nmol/day (SI units).

Epinephrine

• Adult or elderly: less than 20 mcg/24 hr or less than 109 μmol/day (SI units).
• Child:
  • 0–1 years old: 0–2.5 mcg/24 hr.
  • 1–2 years old: 0–3.5 mcg/24 hr.
  • 2–4 years old: 0–6 mcg/24 hr.
  • 4–7 years old: 0.2–10 mcg/24 hr.
  • 7–10 years old: 0.5–14 mcg/24 hr.

Norepinephrine

• Adult or elderly: less than 100 mcg/24 hr or less than 590 nmol/day (SI units).
• Child:
  • 0–1 years old: 0–10 mcg/24 hr.
  • 1–2 years old: 0–17 mcg/24 hr.
  • 2–4 years old: 4–29 mcg/24 hr.
  • 4–7 years old: 8–45 mcg/24 hr.
  • 7–10 years old: 13–65 mcg/24 hr.

Dopamine

• Adult or elderly: 65–400 mcg/24 hr.
• Child:
  • 0–1 year old: 0–85 mcg/24 hr.
  • 1–2 years old: 10–140 mcg/24 hr.
  • 2–4 years old: 40–260 mcg/24 hr.
  • Greater than 4 years old: 65–400 mcg/24 hr.

Metanephrine

• Less than 1.3 mg/24 hr or less than 7 μmol/day (SI units).

Normetanephrine

• 15–80 mcg/24 hr or 89–473 nmol/day (SI units).

What do the results mean?

Values above the reference ranges may result from:

• Tumors of the adrenal gland or neural crest.
• Severe stress.
• Strenuous exercise.
• Anxiety.

Talk with your health care provider about what your results mean.

Questions to ask your health care provider

Ask your health care provider, or the department that is doing the test:

• When will my results be ready?
• How will I get my results?
• What are my treatment options?
• What other tests do I need?
• What are my next steps?

Summary

• The urine catecholamines test is used to screen for tumors that produce a type of hormone called catecholamines.
• The primary catecholamines are dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. The urine catecholamines test also measures VMA and HVA, which are breakdown products of certain catecholamines.
• You may be asked to collect urine samples at home over a 24-hour period.
• Values above the reference range can be seen in situations of severe stress, strenuous exercise, anxiety, or certain tumors.