Effects of the dopamine agonist cabergoline in patients with prolactinoma intolerant or resistant to bromocriptine

Cabergoline is a new long-acting ergoline derivative used to treat hyperprolactinaemia. Its effect was assessed in 10 patients (eight women and two men) with prolactinoma who were intolerant (group I; N = 7) or resistant (group II: N = 3) to bromocriptine. In group I, no side effect was observed on cabergoline therapy: two patients became pregnant and normoprolactinaemia was achieved in the five others. In group II, cabergoline was active and well-tolerated in two out of the three patients: one woman had three consecutive pregnancies: in another patient normoprolactinaemia was restored and the tumour shrank by 60%; in the third patient cabergoline was discontinued because of side effects and inefficacy. Thus, cabergoline appears to be an alternative of choice as treatment of hyperprolactinaemic patients who are intolerant or resistant to bromocriptine.