A comparison of cabergoline and bromocriptine on the risk of valvular heart disease in patients with prolactinomas

Therapy with dopamine agonists has been associated with valvular heart disease (VHD) in Parkinson’s disease, raising concern about the safety of these drugs. In hyperprolactinemic patients, the studies have mainly focused on the cardiac effects of cabergoline (CBG), with little information on bromocriptine (BRC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of VHD in patients with prolactinomas treated with CBG and BRC. The CBG group consisted of 51 patients (37 female; age 42.3 ± 13.5 years) who had been taking CBG for at least 1 year (mean 37.8 ± 21.3 months; cumulative doses 16–1,286.8 mg). The BRC group consisted of 19 patients (14 female; age 41.8 ± 11.5 years) who were on BRC for at least 1 year (mean 54.8 ± 30.2 months; cumulative doses 4,687.5–23,478.8 mg). The controls (CTR) were 59 healthy subjects matched for age, sex, and prevalence of arterial hypertension. Participants were subjected to transthoracic echocardiography and the valvular regurgitation was graduated as absent (grade 0), trace (1), mild (2), moderate (3) or severe (4). Compared to CTR, trace mitral (Mi) regurgitation (49% vs. 27.1%; P = 0.02), trace tricuspid (Tri) regurgitation (45.1% vs. 20.3%; P = 0.0003) and mild Tri regurgitation (7.8% vs. 0%; P = 0.0003) were more prevalent with CBG, while trace Tri regurgitation (73.7% vs. 20.3%; P = 0.0004) were more prevalent with BRC. Mitral tenting area was significantly higher in CBG than in BRC and CTR. None of the valvar abnormalities was associated with symptoms. In conclusion, patients with prolactinomas treated with either CBG or BRC showed higher prevalence of trace and mild Tri or Mi regurgitation, but these findings were not clinically significant.