Natural course of prolactinomas after menopause is not fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to compare recurrence rate after cabergoline withdrawal in premenopausal vs. postmenopausal women with microprolactinoma. Sixty-two women with microprolactinoma treated with cabergoline for at least 1 year and followed for 2 years after drug withdrawal were retrospectively selected. Patients were divided into two groups: 48 patients stopped cabergoline before menopause ("PRE" group), while 14 after menopause ("POST" group). Recurrence was defined by prolactin levels above normal, confirmed on two occasions. Overall, 39/62 women relapsed. Patients who relapsed apparently had higher prolactin before withdrawal (median 216.2, range 21.2-464.3 mIU/L) compared with those in long-term remission (94.3, 29.7-402.8 mIU/L; p < 0.05), and the risk of recurrence seemed lower in POST women (4/14, 29%) than in PRE ones (35/48, 73%, p < 0.005, OR 0.149, 95% CI 0.040-0.558). However, none of the factors (prolactin before withdrawal, menopausal status, treatment duration, complete adenoma regression) showed a correlation with recurrence risk in multivariate analysis. The best strategy able to optimize CBG treatment and withdrawal's outcomes is still to be defined in microprolactinomas. Postmenopausal status cannot reliably predict long-term remission, and follow-up is needed also in women of this age.
Keywords: Cabergoline; Dopamine agonist; Hyperprolactinemia; Menopause; Prolactinoma; Recurrence.