title: Parlodel LAR in the treatment of macroprolactinomas.
abstract: Eight patients with macroprolactinomas were treated with a long-acting injectable form of bromocriptine, depot-bromocriptine (Parlodel LAR). With the exception of one male patient who had partial and short-lasting suppression of PRL levels after two injections and who underwent a second adenomectomy, the patients were given Parlodel LAR injections at 28-day intervals for six months. In all patients, there was a significant fall in serum PRL levels after the first injection. PRL secretion was suppressed to within the normal range in 3 of 7 patients on long-term treatment. PRL was consistently within the normal range in 2 patients from the sixth week and in one, from the 14th week onwards. In the other 4 of 7 patients, a marked suppression of PRL secretion, resumption of menses, and normal libido and potency were recorded. In 3 of 8 patients, no adverse effects were noted. Two patients reported short-lasting nausea, one vomiting, one constipation and in 2 patients, orthostatic dizziness occurred after the first injection. Subsequent injections, however, were well tolerated systematically and locally. Five patients had CT scan evidence of tumour shrinkage. A very large tumour virtually disappeared after the first injection of 50 mg depot-bromocriptine in one patient. The decrease of serum PRL secretion within the first 12 hours after injection did not predict normalization of serum PRL levels during long-term treatment, whereas the fall of serum PRL levels to below 5% of the basal values within the first months of treatment could be a good indicator for the final outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Yugoslavia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kocijancic
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prezelj
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vrhovec
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lancranjan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D001971:Bromocriptine; D011388:Prolactin