title: Effects of cabergoline on blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetic patients: A double-blind controlled clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cabergoline is a long-acting agonist of dopamine, which has a high affinity to dopamine receptors (type 2). Treatment using a dopaminergic agonist reduces hypothalamic stimulation that increases during liver gluconeogenesis, lipids synthesis, and insulin resistance. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of cabergoline on blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a double-blind, controlled clinical trial in patients with type 2 DM. The patients received treatments of a placebo (control group; n = 20) or cabergoline 0.5 mg (cabergoline group; n = 20) using the sequential method, once per week for 3 months, while using previously prescribed glucose-lowering drugs. All tests, such as levels of fasting blood glucose, 2-hour post-prandial glucose, complete lipid profile, prolactin, alanine amino transferase, aspartate amino transferase, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and serum insulin, and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance were measured at baseline and at 3-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fasting blood sugar levels were significantly different between placebo and cabergoline groups after 3 months of treatment (P = 0.004). The prolactin levels were significantly different from beginning of the treatment to 6 months later (P = 0.001). In the cabergoline group, there was a significant decrease in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) levels after 3 months (P = 0.003). Overall, 65%and 45% patients in the cabergoline and control groups, respectively, responded to treatment (HbA1C<7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cabergoline may be useful as a long-acting antidiabetic agent in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Center Faculty of Medicine Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahar
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kashi
authors.forename: Ezzatossadat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Daneshpour
authors.forename: Ozra
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Akha
authors.forename: Shahram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ala
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077465:Cabergoline; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004873:Ergolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D000077465:Cabergoline; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D004873:Ergolines; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents