Valvular heart disease in patients taking pergolide.
OBJECTIVE
To Investigate the frequency of valvular heart disease in patients taking pergolide.


METHODS
The medical records of patients seen at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla, between 1998 and 2003 were searched electronically for the word pergolide and the presence of a 2-dimensional echocardiogram. Patients who had not taken pergolide before undergoing echocardlography served as the control group. Echocardiograms were reviewed for the presence of valvular regurgitation. The frequency of valvular disease in patients taking pergolide was calculated and compared with controls. Associations with dosage and years of treatment also were examined.


RESULTS
Fifty-five patients made up the pergolide group, and 63 served as controls. When looking at aortic regurgitation (AR) of any degree, 45% of patients in the pergolide group had AR, compared with 21% of controls (P = .006). The frequency of moderate to severe valvular regurgitation in the pergolide group was 11% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4%-22%), 13% (95% CI, 5%-24%), and 13% (95% CI, 5%-24%) for the tricuspid, mitral, and aortic valves, respectively. No statistical difference was identified in the frequency of moderate to severe valvular regurgitation (mitral, tricuspid, or aortic) when compared with controls. There was marginal evidence of an association between a higher daily dosage of pergolide and moderate to severe AR (P = .05).


CONCLUSIONS
The frequency of AR appears to be Increased in patients taking pergolide. Our study suggests that if a cause-effect relationship exists between pergolide and valvular heart disease, it likely occurs at a low but clinically important Incidence and may be associated with dosage.
Waller
E Andrew
EA
Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Fl 32224, USA.
Kaplan
Joseph
J
Heckman
Michael G
MG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000145:classification; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D010479:Pergolide / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D010479:Pergolide