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Pituitary acting drugs: cabergoline and pasireotide

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Abstract

First-line treatment for Cushing´s disease is transsphenoidal surgery. But in cases of persistent or recurrent disease after surgery, contraindications to surgery, severe hypercortisolism control before surgery, or for patients waiting for radiotherapy effects, medical therapy may be indicated. Pituitary-directed agents include cabergoline and pasireotide. Both drugs present similar potential for biochemical control and pasireotide has additionally been proved to reduce tumor volume. Moreover, pasireotide was evaluated in high quality studies. In respect to safety, both drugs are well tolerated and safe, but special attention should be given for cardiac valve disease and psychiatric disorder for cabergoline, and hyperglycemia for pasireotide.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroendocrinology Research Center/Endocrinology Division, Medical School and Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Mônica R. Gadelha & Luiz Eduardo Wildemberg

  2. Neuropathology and Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Mônica R. Gadelha

  3. Neuroendocrinology Division, Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Mônica R. Gadelha & Luiz Eduardo Wildemberg

  4. Institute of Endocrinology, Petach Tikva, and Sackler School of Medicine, Beilinson Hospital, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

    Ilan Shimon

  5. Rua Prof. Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, 255, 9th floor, Ilha do Fundão, 21941-913, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Mônica R. Gadelha

Authors
  1. Mônica R. Gadelha
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  2. Luiz Eduardo Wildemberg
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Contributions

MRG, LEW and IS were equally responsible for writing and reviewing the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mônica R. Gadelha.

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Competing interests

MRG has received speaker fees from Recordati Rare Diseases, attended Recordati Rare Diseases advisory boards, and is principal investigator in clinical trials from Recordati Rare Diseases and Novartis. LEW has received speaker fees from Novartis and participates as a sub-investigator in Recordati Rare Diseases and Novartis clinical trials. IS has received speaker fees from Novartis and Medison, attended Novartis advisory board, and participated as an investigator in Novartis and Strongbridge Pharma clinical trials.

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Gadelha, M.R., Wildemberg, L.E. & Shimon, I. Pituitary acting drugs: cabergoline and pasireotide. Pituitary 25, 722–725 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11102-022-01238-8

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