Control of prolactin-secreting macroadenomas with parenteral, long-acting bromocriptine in 30 patients treated for up to 3 years.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the effect of intramuscular injections of long-acting bromocriptine in patients with macroadenomas.

STUDY DESIGN AND PATIENTS

Thirty patients with PRL-secreting pituitary macroadenomas were treated with repeated 4-weekly intramuscular injections of 50 or 100 mg of a long-acting, repeatable bromocriptine formulation for six to 37 injections, amounting to a total of 473 injections. Twenty patients received parenteral bromocriptine as primary therapy, ten had persisting hyperprolactinemia after previous therapies including pituitary surgery (n = 7), oral bromocriptine (7), and pituitary irradiation (2).

MEASUREMENTS

A PRL day profile was obtained and the patients' clinical status and history were documented, at intervals. Detailed clinical, laboratory, and radiological (pituitary nuclear magnetic resonance or computed tomography scan) evaluations were performed at baseline, after 1 injection and every 6th injection thereafter.

RESULTS

In all patients PRL was suppressed from a mean +/- SEM pretreatment level of 32,620 +/- 8680 to 4480 +/- 1140 mU/I on the third day after the first injection. In 12 patients PRL levels normalized (< 400 mU/I) with the first to fourth injection, in three additional patients PRL levels normalized after 8-15 months. In 19 patients PRL was suppressed to less than 1000 mU/l. In three patients PRL did not decrease to less than 50% of pretreatment; in two of them on oral bromocriptine prior to this study there had been a comparable low efficacy. Of 28 patients with macroadenomas (median height 22 mm) tumour shrinkage was evident in 15 by nuclear magnetic resonance or computed tomography scan 28 days after the first injection, and in three additional patients after 6 months. There was further regression in seven cases after 12, 18 or 24 injections. Adenoma size (mean +/- SEM) decreased to 66 +/- 7% of the pretreatment value. The 40 adverse events noted in 20 of 30 patients during 24 hours after the first injection were similar to known side-effects of oral bromocriptine, nausea and postural hypotension being the most frequent. With repeated injections, on average 0.6 adverse events were noted per injection (mostly mild asthenia). There were no local adverse reactions at the injection site.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that long-acting repeatable bromocriptine in patients with macroprolactinomas offers a safe and efficacious primary treatment that ensures compliance and gives long-term control. Adverse reactions are comparable to oral bromocriptine but subside with repeated injections.