CYCLIC CUSHINGS-DISEASE IN LONG-TERM REMISSION WITH A DAILY LOW-DOSE OF BROMOCRIPTINE

A 56-year-old male patient with cyclic Cushing's disease remained in a state of remission for more than one year with a relatively low dose of bromocriptine (2.5-3.75 mg/day). It has been reported that bromocri ptine treatment for cyclic Gushing's disease induces only a transient remission; in the most effective cases, a relatively high dose (40 mg/ day) was necessary. In the hypercortisolemic state, plasma adrenocorti cotropic hormone (ACTH) and serum cortisol were not suppressed by dexa methasone and did not respond to corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). An antehypophysectomy was not effective, even though the resected tis sue contained ACTH-positive microadenomas. The present observations th us indicate the effectiveness of bromocriptine for some patients with this rare disorder.