The effects of
bromocriptine or
metergoline treatment were evaluated in 80 hyperprolactinaemic patients (62 women and 18 men). The patients were subdivided into 4 groups: group A) 16 women with idiopathic
hyperprolactinaemia; group B) 19 women with untreated Prl-secreting microadenomas; group
C) 27 women with unsuccessfully operated
prolactinomas; group D) 18 men with unsuccessfully treated
macroprolactinomas. Sixty-eight patients were given
bromocriptine (2.5-20 mg/day) for 3-58 months and 33 patients were given
metergoline (4-16 mg/day) for 3-19 months.
Bromocriptine and
metergoline were equally effective in the treatment of functional
hyperprolactinaemia and of untreated microadenomas, while
bromocriptine showed a more potent Prl-lowering effect than
metergoline in patients with higher Prl levels and large
prolactinomas; both drugs restored the gonadal function to a similar extent, though
metergoline was effective in some cases, even in the absence of full Prl suppression.
Bromocriptine seems to exert an antitumoral effect, as documented by CT scan in some patients with macroadenomas, but the precise role of both drugs with respect to dose, length of treatment and effectiveness after withdrawal needs to be evaluated further.