[Macroprolactinemia associated with pituitary macroadenoma: treatment with quinagolide]

Orv Hetil. 2010 Jun 27;151(26):1072-5. doi: 10.1556/OH.2010.28896.
[Article in Hungarian]

Abstract

According to current concept, macroprolactin is biologically inactive and, therefore, its accumulation in serum has little, if any, pathological significance. Authors present the history of a 80-year-old man who proved to have, among other associated disorders, an intra- and parasellar pituitary tumor measuring 21x12x12 mm in size which was revealed by pituitary MRI. His hormonal evaluation indicated a marked hyperprolactinemia mainly due to macroprolactinemia (total prolactin, 514 ng/ml; reference range, 1.6-10.7 ng/ml; macroprolactin 436 ng/ml, monomer prolactin 78.2 ng/ml). Tests for function of the pituitary-thyroid axis showed a mild subclinical primary hypothyroidism. The function of the pituitary-adrenal axis was normal, and other hormonal tests revealed low-normal serum gonadotropins and decreased testosterone level, whereas serum insulin-like growth factor I was normal. Although the majority of current guidelines state that dopamine-agonist treatment which is successfully used in prolactin-producing pituitary tumors and in other hyperprolactinemic disorders is unnecessary in patients with macroprolactinemia, the authors introduced a dopamine-agonist, quinagolide. During prolonged treatment, plasma prolactin returned close to the upper limit of normal (12.3 ng/ml) and 9 months after the beginning of treatment pituitary MRI showed a remarkable shrinkage of the pituitary tumor. Authors propose that in this patient the pituitary tumor secreted macroprolactin, and they recommend a treatment trial with dopamine-agonist in pituitary macroadenomas associated with macroprolactinemia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aminoquinolines / therapeutic use*
  • Dopamine Agonists / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Hyperprolactinemia / blood
  • Hyperprolactinemia / etiology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / blood
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / complications*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Prolactin / blood*
  • Prolactin / drug effects
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Aminoquinolines
  • Dopamine Agonists
  • quinagolide
  • Prolactin