Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Dopamine agonists are first-line agents for the treatment of prolactinomas and sometimes are used in patients with acromegalia. There is evidence that these drugs, especially cabergoline, are associated with an increased risk of new cardiac valve regurgitation in patients treated for Parkinson’s disease.

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the prevalence of cardiac valve regurgitation in patients with prolactinomas and acromegalia treated with dopamine agonists.

Design and settings: An observational, case–control study was conducted at a University Hospital.

Patients: 81 treated patients, 37 with microprolactinomas, 31 with macroprolactinomas and 13 with acromegalia; 61 were treated with cabergoline, 16 with bromocriptine and 4 with quinagolide. We used an age-matched control group of fourteen patients diagnosed of prolactinomas before starting treatment with dopamine agonists.

Results: Patients receiving a cumulative dose above the media were compared with those receiving a cumulative dose below it. The prevalence of cardiac-valve regurgitation of aortic (19.5 and 15%, P=0.77); mitral (19.5 and 22.5%, P=0.79); and tricuspid (9.8 and 12.5%, P=0.73); valves was similar. When treated patients were compared with control patients, the prevalence of cardiac-valve regurgitation of aortic (17 and 0%, P=0.12); mitral (21 and 14.3%, P=0.72); and tricuspid (11.1 and 14.3%, P=0.66); valves was also similar. There were no cases of pulmonic regurgitation in all patients.

Conclusion: The prevalence of cardiac-valve regurgitation was similar in patients with higher and lower cumulative doses of dopamine agonists. The result was the same in treated patients when compared with control patients. This study shows results which coincide with some publications. Nevertheless, it also found data that differ from other studies.