Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of patients
| Variable | Bromocriptine-treated patients with hyperprolactinaemia (Group A) | Bromocriptine-treated patients with normal prolactin levels (Group B) | Control group (Group C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of patients | 12 | 14 | 15 |
| Age [years; mean (SD)] | 32 (3) | 31 (4) | 32 (4) |
| Women [%] | 75 | 71 | 80 |
| Smokers [%] | 25 | 29 | 27 |
| Duration of bromocriptine treatment [months; mean (SD)] | 11 (2)*** | 12 (3)*** | 0 (0) |
| Bromocriptine dose [mg; mean (SD)] | 6.4 (1.3)*** | 6.2 (1.2)*** | 0 (0) |
| Body mass index [kg/m2; mean (SD)]a | 28.3 (2.4) | 28.9 (2.2) | 27.9 (2.0) |
| Waist-hip ratio [mean (SD)]b | 0.92 (0.08) | 0.94 (0.07) | 0.91 (0.06) |
| Systolic blood pressure [mmHg; mean (SD)]c | 129 (10) | 127 (11) | 125 (9) |
| Diastolic blood pressure [mmHg; mean (SD)]c | 84 (4) | 81 (3) | 82 (3) |
| Hypertension [%]d | 25 | 21 | 20 |
| Prolactin-secreting tumours [%] | 67*** | 57*** | 0 |
| Fasting glucose [mmol/L; mean (SD)] | 4.81 (0.25) | 4.72 (0.23) | 4.77 (0.21) |
| 2-h postchallenge plasma glucose [mmol/L; mean (SD)] | 9.72 (0.63) | 9.17 (0.80) | 9.32 (0.70) |
| HOMA-IR [mean (SD)] | 5.0 (0.5) | 4.7 (0.4) | 4.6 (0.5) |
| Glycated haemoglobin [%; mean (SD)] | 6.1 (0.2) | 6.0 (0.2) | 6.0 (0.2) |
| Total cholesterol [mmol/L; mean (SD)] | 5.56 (0.61) | 5.62 (0.52) | 5.51 (0.58) |
| LDL-cholesterol [mmol/L; mean (SD)] | 3.31 (0.42) | 3.25 (0.32) | 3.19 (0.28) |
| HDL-cholesterol [mmol/L; mean (SD)] | 1.12 (0.18) | 1.25 (0.15) | 1.19 (0.16) |
| Triglycerides [mmol/L; mean (SD)] | 2.56 (0.38) | 2.43 (0.35) | 2.40 (0.31) |
| Prolactin [ng/mL; mean (SD)] | 46 (10)***### | 12 (4) | 14 (3) |
| IGF-1 [ng/mL; mean (SD)] | 235 (61) | 195 (43) | 189 (41) |
| Thyrotropin [mIU/L; mean (SD)] | 2.0 (0.7) | 1.5 (0.4) | 1.4 (0.5) |
Only data of individuals who completed the study were included in the final analyses
aWeight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters [25]
bThe ratio of the circumference of the waist (the midpoint between the lower margin of the last palpable rib and the top of the iliac crest) to that of the hips (the widest portion of the buttocks) [25]
cAverage of two blood pressure measurements taken in the sitting position, spaced 2 min apart,after at least 5 min of rest [26]
dBlood pressure greater than 140/90 on two or more blood pressure readings taken at each of two or more visits after initial screening [26]
*** p < 0.001 versus control subjects (group C)
### p < 0.001 versus bromocriptine-treated patients with normal prolactin levels (group B)