Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2011) 25 P130

SFEBES2011 Poster Presentations Diabetes, metabolism and cardiovascular (48 abstracts)

Cabergoline prevents weight gain in patients evaluated for hyperprolactinaemia

Martin Whyte 1 , Riaz Aziz 1 , Sesha Pramodh 2 & Simon Aylwin 1


1King’s College Hospital, London, UK; 2Yeovil Hospital, London, UK.


Introduction: Food reward stimuli elevate dopamine levels in brain reward circuits. Decreased dopaminergic signalling may be involved in pathophysiological processes leading to obesity and D2 receptor antagonists (antipsychotics) are associated with a higher risk of obesity. One study has demonstrated an association between the use of a dopamine D2 agonist (bromocriptine) and weight-loss in patients with prolactinoma. We have investigated the effect of cabergoline on body weight in a population presenting with hyperprolactinaemia.

Methods: One hundred medical records were studied. All patients had been evaluated for prolactin excess with a cannulated prolactin study. Macroprolactinaemia was excluded in all samples. Patients with panhypopitutiarism or previously treated with another dopamine agonist were excluded. Data was also unavailable in 3 patients, leaving 89 patients. Weight and cabergoline dose was recorded at each visit.

Results: (mean±S.E.M.). At Visit 1, prolactin was 1614.4±447.8 mU/l in cabergoline group (CG) and 534.1±75.8 mU/l in controls (P<0.001). Body weight and BMI at the first visit was 72.5±13.7 kg and 27.0±6.5 kg/m2 in CG and 70.6±9.0 kg and 26.9±1.1 kg/m2 in controls (P=NS). Cabergoline dose was 493.2±15.4 μg/week.

Visit 1 (pre-treatment)Visit 2Visit 3Visit 4
CGControlCGControlCGControlCGControl
Number2762276122231410
Days since first visitNANA166.4±33.3168.05±21.2329.3±67.2345.2±75.3511.4±161.7540.2±170.8
Change in weight from first visit (kg)NANA−0.50±0.10*+0.8±0.09−0.3±0.06*+1.8±0.4−0.4±0.1*+2.7±0.9
*P<0.05 compared to control.

Conclusion: Cabergoline is unlikely to be considered as a useful weight loss agent, but in this study it was associated with weight stability compared to the weight gain that occurred amongst individuals who did not start dopamine agonist treatment.

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