title: Retrospective comparison of cabergoline and bromocriptine effects in hyperprolactinemia: a single center experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with hyperprolactinemia who require medical therapy are typically treated with dopamine agonists (DAs). In most cases, DAs normalize prolactin levels, control symptoms, and substantially decrease tumor size. Here, we aimed to compare the efficacy of cabergoline (CAB) and bromocriptine (BRC) in patients with hyperprolactinemia at a single center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of the clinical records of 498 patients with hyperprolactinemia [mean age 33.3 ± 10.8 years (range 16-66), 450 women, and 48 men] who had received either CAB (n = 450) or BRC (n = 48) was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age, gender distribution, and treatment duration were similar between the CAB and BRC groups (33.2 ± 11 vs. 34.1 ± 9.6 years, male/female 44/406 vs. 4/44, 18.7 ± 12.1 vs. 17.8 ± 6.0 months, respectively; p > 0.05 for all). Mean dosage was 1.5 ± 1.6 mg/week for CAB and 3.8 ± 2.7 mg/day for BRC. Baseline prolactin levels, frequency of galactorrhea, amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, erectile dysfunction, infertility, and visual impairment were similar between the two groups, whereas the baseline tumor volume was higher in the CAB group. The prolactin normalization rate (87.4 vs. 41.4 %, p = 0.029) and tumor volume shrinkage (79.8 ± 39.1 vs. 54.1 ± 55.3 %, p = 0.015) were significantly higher in the CAB-treated patients than in the BRC-treated patients, while the tumor cure rates were similar. Symptom relief was higher in the CAB group than in the BRC group. More side effects were recorded in patients who took BRC (29.1 vs. 5.3 %, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data revealed that CAB was more effective than BRC in controlling symptoms associated with hormone excess, normalizing serum prolactin levels, and shrinking prolactinomas.
authors.affiliation: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Diabetes, Endocrine and Obesity Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA. ayse_arduc@yahoo.com.|, 1778 Dawson Street, Vienna, VA, 22182, USA. ayse_arduc@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arduc
authors.affiliation: Ministry Of Health, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinic, Kayseri Research and Training Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gokay
authors.affiliation: Ministry Of Health, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinic, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ozuguz
authors.affiliation: Ministry Of Health, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinic, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Akbaba
authors.affiliation: Ministry Of Health, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinic, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tutuncu
authors.affiliation: Ministry Of Health, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinic, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berker
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Hitit University, Corum, Turkey.
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Kucukler
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Duzce University Medical School, Duzce, Turkey.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Hitit University, Corum, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077465:Cabergoline; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004873:Ergolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D004873:Ergolines; D001971:Bromocriptine; D000077465:Cabergoline
keywords: Bromocriptine; Cabergoline; Dopamine agonists; Hyperprolactinemia