Induction of ovulation in patients with normoprolactinemic amenorrhea by combined therapy with bromocriptine and clomiphene

Abstract

Bromocriptine is known to be effective in the treatment of women with hyperprolactinemic anovulation or amenorrhea-galactorrhea. A new schedule of combined treatment with bromocriptine and clomiphene citrate was applied to 23 patients with normoprolactinemic amenorrhea who failed to respond to clomiphene alone. Ovulation was restored by treatment in 14 of these patients (60.9%), resulting in pregnancy in 3 women. Treatment resulted in immediate suppression of serum prolactin levels and a gradual increase in serum luteinizing hormone levels and estradiol levels followed by a luteinizing hormone surge. The present results indicate that bromocriptine/clomiphene combination therapy is effective in the treatment of amenorrheic patients with normoprolactinemia who do not respond to clomiphene alone, and suggest that bromocriptine restores the responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian system to clomiphene.

PIP: Bromocriptine is known to be effective in the treatment of women with hyperprolactinemic anovulation or amenorrhea-galactorrhea. A new schedule of combined treatment with bromocriptine and clomiphene citrate was applied to 23 patients with normoprolactinemic amenorrhea who failed to respond to clomiphene alone. Ovulation was restored through treatment in 14 of these patients (60.9%) and pregnancy resulted in 3 women. Also, treatment resulted in immediate suppression of serum prolactin levels and a gradual increase in serum luteinizing hormone levels and estradiol levels followed by a luteinizing hormone surge. The present results indicate that bromocriptine/clomiphene citrate therapy is effective in the treatment of amenorrheic patients with normoprolactinemia who do not respond to clomiphene alone, and suggest that bromocriptine restores the responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian system to clomiphene.