Background: The role of dopamine agonists in the treatment of Cushing's disease (CD) has been previously debated. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of short-term (3 months) and long-term (12-24 months) treatment with cabergoline in patients with CD. Patients and Methods: 20 patients with CD unsuccessfully treated by surgery entered the study. Cabergoline was administered at an initial dose of 1 mg/wk, with a monthly increase of 1 mg, until urinary cortisol levels normalized or the maximal dose of 7 mg/wk was achieved. The responsiveness to treatment was evaluated according to changes in urinary cortisol excretion. A decrease greater than 25% was considered as a partial response, whereas complete normalization was considered as a full response at short-term evaluation; persistence of normal cortisol excretion was the only criterion to evaluate the response at long-term evaluation. Results: After short-term treatment, 15 (75%) patients were responsive to cabergoline treatment. Among these, normalization of cortisol excretion was maintained in 10, whereas treatment escape was observed in five patients after 6-18 months. Among the 10 long-term responsive patients, eight were followed for 24 months, whereas the remaining two were followed for 12-18 months, due to cabergoline withdrawal for intolerance. A sustained control of cortisol secretion for 24 month cabergoline treatment at the maximal dose ranging from 1-7 mg/wk (median: 3.5) without significant side effects, was obtained in eight of 20 (40%) patients. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrated that cabergoline treatment is effective in controlling cortisol secretion for at least 1-2 yr in more than one third of a limited population of patients with CD. If this evidence is confirmed by additional studies, this agent may be considered as a useful treatment option in patients with CD who are unsuccessfully treated by neurosurgery.
The Medical Treatment of Cushing's Disease: Effectiveness of Chronic Treatment with the Dopamine Agonist Cabergoline in Patients Unsuccessfully Treated by Surgery / Pivonello, Rosario; DE MARTINO, MARIA CRISTINA; Cappabianca, Paolo; DE LEO, Monica; Faggiano, Antongiulio; Lombardi, Gaetano; L. J., Hofland; S. W., Lamberts; Colao, Annamaria. - In: THE JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM. - ISSN 0021-972X. - ELETTRONICO. - 94:(2009), pp. 223-230.
The Medical Treatment of Cushing's Disease: Effectiveness of Chronic Treatment with the Dopamine Agonist Cabergoline in Patients Unsuccessfully Treated by Surgery
PIVONELLO, ROSARIO;DE MARTINO, MARIA CRISTINA;CAPPABIANCA, PAOLO;DE LEO, MONICA;FAGGIANO, ANTONGIULIO;LOMBARDI, GAETANO;COLAO, ANNAMARIA
2009
Abstract
Background: The role of dopamine agonists in the treatment of Cushing's disease (CD) has been previously debated. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of short-term (3 months) and long-term (12-24 months) treatment with cabergoline in patients with CD. Patients and Methods: 20 patients with CD unsuccessfully treated by surgery entered the study. Cabergoline was administered at an initial dose of 1 mg/wk, with a monthly increase of 1 mg, until urinary cortisol levels normalized or the maximal dose of 7 mg/wk was achieved. The responsiveness to treatment was evaluated according to changes in urinary cortisol excretion. A decrease greater than 25% was considered as a partial response, whereas complete normalization was considered as a full response at short-term evaluation; persistence of normal cortisol excretion was the only criterion to evaluate the response at long-term evaluation. Results: After short-term treatment, 15 (75%) patients were responsive to cabergoline treatment. Among these, normalization of cortisol excretion was maintained in 10, whereas treatment escape was observed in five patients after 6-18 months. Among the 10 long-term responsive patients, eight were followed for 24 months, whereas the remaining two were followed for 12-18 months, due to cabergoline withdrawal for intolerance. A sustained control of cortisol secretion for 24 month cabergoline treatment at the maximal dose ranging from 1-7 mg/wk (median: 3.5) without significant side effects, was obtained in eight of 20 (40%) patients. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrated that cabergoline treatment is effective in controlling cortisol secretion for at least 1-2 yr in more than one third of a limited population of patients with CD. If this evidence is confirmed by additional studies, this agent may be considered as a useful treatment option in patients with CD who are unsuccessfully treated by neurosurgery.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
