Therapeutic Effect of Bromocriptine as a Dopamine Agonist on Endometrioma Size: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the therapeutic effect of a dopamine agonist (bromocriptine) together with medroxyprogesterone for three months on ovarian endometrioma size. Materials and Methods: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 60 women with clinical or ultrasonographic evidence of residual ovarian endometriomas were randomly assigned into two groups (n=30/each): the Bromo group received medroxyprogesterone (20 mg) and bromocriptine (1.25 mg) twice a day orally for three months and the placebo group received medroxyprogesterone (20 mg) and placebo twice a day orally for three months. Demographic characteristics, pre- and post-treatment endometrioma size, pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and dyspareunia were compared in both groups. Results: Mean endometrioma size was significantly different in both groups compared with the pre-treatment stage (P < 0.0001). Endometriosis symptoms of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and pelvic pain improved after the treatment in Bromo group compared with placebo group (P < 0.01). Conclusions: We found that medroxyprogesterone with placebo is effective in reducing the ovarian endometrioma size and also improves dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and pelvic pain, but the combination of medroxyprogesterone and bromocriptine has a stronger effect than using medroxyprogesterone alone.