Visual function in prolactinoma patients treated with bromocriptine.
Ten patients with prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas (prolactinoma) and visual dysfunction were treated primarily with bromocriptine. Nine patients had improvement of visual field or acuity associated with computed tomography (CT) evidence of a decrease in tumor size and reduction of serum prolactin level (SPL). Visual improvement usually began within days of commencing bromocriptine therapy. One patient with initial improvement had a worsening of visual fields at 11 months despite a normal SPL and a stable CT appearance of tumor size. This patient and the single patient without visual improvement underwent trans-sphenoidal hypophysectomy (TSH), but neither patient had postoperative visual improvement. Two other patients underwent TSH for nonvisual reasons. The remaining six patients have maintained excellent visual function at last follow-up (average of 18 months on bromocriptine therapy). This study shows that bromocriptine is an effective short- and long-term therapy for most patients with visual dysfunction due to prolactinoma.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014794:Visual Fields
D001971:Bromocriptine; D011388:Prolactin