Hyperprolactinemia might be related to weight gain, metabolic syndrome (MS), and insulin resistance (IR). Treatment with dopamine agonist (DA) has been shown to reduce body weight and improve metabolic parameters. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of obesity, overweight, MS, and IR in patients with prolactinoma before and after therapy with DA and to evaluate the relation between prolactin (PRL), body weight, fat distribution, leptin levels, IR, and lipid profile before treatment. In addition, we investigated the correlation of the reduction in PRL levels with weight loss and metabolic profile improvement. Twenty‐two patients with prolactinoma completed 6 months of treatment with DA. These patients were submitted to clinical (BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure (BP)), laboratory evaluation (leptin, glucose, low‐density lipoprotein (LDL)‐cholesterol, and triglyceride (TG) levels) and abdominal computed tomography (CT) before and after treatment. The statistical analyses were done by nonparametric tests. At the beginning of the study, the prevalence of obesity, overweight, MS, and IR was 45, 27, 27, and 18%, respectively. After 6 months of treatment with DA, PRL levels normalized, but no significant difference in BMI was observed. However, there was a significant decrease on homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMAIR) index, glucose, LDL‐cholesterol, and TG levels. This study suggests a possible involvement of prolactinoma on the prevalence of obesity. We should consider that DA may be effective on improving metabolic parameters, and we speculate that a period longer than 6 months of treatment is necessary to conclude whether this drug can interfere in the body weight of patients with prolactinoma.

Acromegalic patients have an increased prevalence of prostatic disorders compared to agematched healthy subjects. Increased size of the whole prostate or the transitional zone, together with an elevated incidence of other structural changes, such as nodules, cysts, and calcifications, have been reported. Prostate enlargement in young acromegalic patients with low testosterone levels due to central hypogonadism supports the hypothesis that chronic GH and IGF-I excess cause prostate hyperplasia. The relationship between prostatic carcinoma and acromegaly is, until now, only circumstantial. Long-term follow-up of these patients is necessary since epidemiologic studies showed association between serum IGF-I levels in the upper normal limit and prostate cancer in the general population. This review approaches prostate diseases in patients with acromegaly. RESUMOPacientes com acromegalia têm uma prevalência aumentada de desordens prostáticas em comparação a controles saudáveis da mesma idade. Aumento do tamanho de toda a próstata ou da zona de transição, juntamente com uma incidência elevada de outras alterações estruturais, como nódulos, cistos e calcificações, foi descrito. O aumento da próstata em acromegálicos jovens e com níveis baixos de testosterona devido ao hipogonadismo central sugere que o excesso crônico do GH e do IGF-I cause hiperplasia prostática. A relação entre câncer de próstata e acromegalia é, até o momento, apenas circunstancial. Entretanto, um seguimento prolongado desses pacientes é necessário uma vez que estudos epidemiológicos reportaram uma associação entre níveis séricos de IGF-I no limite superior da normalidade e câncer de próstata na população geral. Esta revisão aborda as patologias prostáticas em pacientes com acromegalia. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2009;53(8):963-8 Descritores Acromegalia; próstata; câncer