Bromocriptine for treatment of benign breast disease. A double-blind clinical trial versus placebo.
Over the last few years bromocriptine has been used for treatment of mastodynia and benign breast disease, but with contradictory results. This double-blind clinical trial was performed to determine the efficacy of this prolactin inhibitor as compared with placebo. Subjective discomfort, clinical examination of the breast lesions, echomammography and breast thermography were evaluated before, during and after 3 months of treatment and in a further follow-up. Plasma levels of estradiol, progesterone and prolactin were measured over the same time. Significant reduction of mastodynia and significant improvement of the breast lesions were observed in the group given bromocriptine, though echomammography and breast thermography did not reveal any significant differences between the two groups. Plasma prolactin levels were significantly reduced by bromocriptine administration.