ABSTRACT After years of successful therapy for pathological hyperprolactinemia with dopamine agonists, an attempt of drug withdrawal could be undertaken in selected clinically stable patients. Either long-term remission or relapse of disease may occur. Disease relapse should be defined as hyperprolactinemia with return of clinical symptoms, not just the biochemical marker itself. With this definition in 168 patients, 37% of the bromocriptine group and 22% of the cabergoline group did have a biochemical and clinical relapse and were re-administered the dopamine agonist. The remainder were clinically asymptomatic, despite return of hyperprolactinemia in some, but they did not require further therapy. An asymptomatic increase of serum prolactin does not change the clinical state of remission.
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