Severe hyperprostaglandin E syndrome with hyperthyroidism--studies of pathogenetic mechanisms.

Hyperprostaglandin E syndrome is a rare disease usually presenting with renal symptoms such as polyuria, polyhydramnios, hypercalciuria, hypokalaemia, and recurrent episodes of extreme fever, diarrhoea, and convulsions. We report a severe variant of this syndrome with obvious pain and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-stimulated hyperthyroidism, an association not previously described. Urinary excretion of PGE2 and its metabolite 7 alpha-hydroxy-5,11-diketotetranorprosta-1,16-dioic acid were markedly increased above normal levels (to 53.3 and 1895 ng/h per 1.73 m2, respectively). We studied oxidative capacity of peroxisomes and mitochondria, the sites where PGE2 oxidation takes place. A generalized mitochondrial disease could be ruled out and no deficiency was found in liver peroxisomal oxidases. The basic pathology of hyperprostaglandin E syndrome remains unsolved.