The added effect of cabergoline to metformin on serum hormones and rate and regularity of menstruation in women with Polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an important cause of menstrual irregularities and infertility in women. Management approaches are variable and share in common the objectives of improving menstrual irregularities, hormonal disturbances, associated clinical features, and fertility. Cabergoline has been suggested to be effective in reducing some adverse effect associated with PCOS; however, sufficient controversy existed that permitted the conduction of the current study. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of adding Cabergoline to the standard mode of treatment (metformin) in a cohort of women with PCOS, on serum hormone levels, BMI, and menstrual irregularities. The present case-control study included 100 women diagnosed as having a polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) according to clinical, ultrasonic and hormonal bases. They were divided into two groups; the first group included 50 PCOS women received metformin treatment for 4 months’ duration and served as control group whereas the second group included 50 PCOS women who were given cabergoline in addition to metformin for 4 months’ duration and served as a study group. Both types of treatment, with or without cabergoline, resulted in highly significant reduction in mean weight in both groups (P<0.001), highly significant reduction in mean serum prolactin in both groups (P<0.001), highly significant reduction in mean serum testosterone in both groups (P<0.001) and highly significant reduction in mean serum DHEAS in both groups (P<0.001); however cabergoline was more effective in reducing mean serum prolactin, 10.20 ±1.92 ng/ml versus 32.20 ±1.79 ng/ml (P<0.001) and improved menstrual irregularities more efficiently. Addition of cabergoline lowers serum prolactin more significantly than metformin alone has improved menstrual irregularity more significantly.