Does treatment with bromocriptine influence the course of hyperprolactinaemia?

Twenty-two women with hyperprolactinaemia without evidence of microadenoma, either untreated (n = 3), treated with bromocriptine for a total of less than 1 year (n = 12), or treated with bromocriptine for a total of more than 1 year (n = 7) were followed up by retrospective case-note review for at least 53 months. More than 50% of the women showed a fall in serum prolactin concentrations by more than 40% over the period of follow-up. The occurrence of a fall did not appear to be related to either length of treatment with bromocriptine or to the occurrence of pregnancy. Some women elected to remain untreated, despite symptoms, in preference to taking tablets and having to use contraception. The wisdom of leaving patients untreated in the light of these findings is discussed.