Pituitary apoplexy manifested during a bromocriptine test in a patient with a growth hormone- and prolactin-producing pituitary adenoma.
This report describes the clinical course of pituitary apoplexy induced by a single dose of bromocriptine in a 50-year-old woman with acromegaly. The patient suddenly complained of diminished vision and headache 2 hours after the oral administration of 2.5 mg of bromocriptine. Her visual symptoms and headache persisted for several days. The basal plasma GH concentration decreased from 76.2 ng/ml to 37.2 ng/ml the day after the attack of apoplexy and to 3.0 ng/ml on the 9th day. The authors assess the changes in endocrine findings related to pituitary apoplexy and also emphasize the necessity to view with caution any symptomatic change during bromocriptine therapy.
Shirataki
K
K
Department of Neurological Surgery, Kobe University School of Medicine, Japan.
Chihara
K
K
Shibata
Y
Y
Tamaki
N
N
Matsumoto
S
S
Fujita
T
T
D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010899:Pituitary Apoplexy / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology
D001971:Bromocriptine