Start low, go slowly - mental abnormalities in young prolactinoma patients under cabergoline therapy

Brichta, Corinna Melanie and Wurm, Michael and Krebs, Andreas and Schwab, Karl Otfried and Van der Werf-Grohmann, Natascha (2019) Start low, go slowly - mental abnormalities in young prolactinoma patients under cabergoline therapy. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM, 32 (9). pp. 969-977. ISSN 0334-018X, 2191-0251

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Abstract

Background: Prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas in childhood and adolescence are rare. First-line therapy consists of dopamine agonists (DAs) like cabergoline. Experience in treating prolactinomas in paediatric and adolescent patients is limited. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of clinical data, laboratory data, radiological findings and medical treatment of paediatric and adolescent patients with prolactinomas between 2009 and 2018. Results: Our cohort of nine patients had a median age at diagnosis of 13 years (range 5-17). Main presenting symptoms were weight gain, disorders of the pituitary-gonadal axis and headache. Treatment with cabergoline resulted in a marked reduction in prolactin concentration in all nine patients. Tumour mass reduction was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan in seven patients. Noteworthy is that cabergoline therapy triggered frequent adverse effects in a total of eight patients - seven of whom suffered from mental disorders, five of whom had neurological symptoms and five of whom had gastrointestinal problems. The adverse effects occurred at a median dose of only 0.5 mg/week (range 0.25-2.0). Most symptoms were alleviated after the cabergoline dose was lowered. Therapy discontinuation was not necessary in any patient. Conclusions: Cabergoline effectively lowers prolactin levels and may reduce tumour mass in paediatric and adolescent patients with prolactinomas. Potential adverse effects may include mental disorders and behavioural problems even at low cabergoline doses. Low starting doses and careful individual dose adjustments are required to enable therapy adherence.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: CLINICAL PRESENTATION; PITUITARY-ADENOMAS; INDUCED PSYCHOSIS; PUBERTAL CHANGES; CHILDREN; ADOLESCENTS; MANAGEMENT; HYPERPROLACTINEMIA; HYPERSEXUALITY; ENDOCRINE; adverse effect; cabergoline; children; mental disorder; prolactinoma
Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medical sciences Medicine
Divisions: Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin
Depositing User: Dr. Gernot Deinzer
Date Deposited: 30 Mar 2020 10:19
Last Modified: 30 Mar 2020 10:19
URI: https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/26289

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