Practice Quiz

Registered Dietitian

Category - Nutrition Care

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Which of the following is not true for the test which checks for elevated urinary levels of vanillylmandelic acid?
  1. It may indicate the presence of an adrenal gland tumor
  2. There is a need to restrict intakes of tea, coffee, chocolate, bananas, citrus fruit and vanilla for several days before the test
  3. The test result is not affected by stress.
  4. The test detects elevated catecholamine levels
Explanation
Answer: C - The assay which tests for urinary vanillylmandelic acid is used to detect tumors of the adrenal gland. The adrenal glands produce catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine), which break down to form vanillylmandelic acid, which may be elevated in the urine in adrenal gland disease. High stress levels increase urinary catecholamine output and may yield a false positive result. Because some foods such as tea, coffee, chocolate, bananas, and citrus fruit increase urinary catecholamines, they should be avoided for several days before the test.
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