Randomised trial, 1980
Does bromocriptine help premenstrual tension?
Bromocriptine improved breast tenderness, bloating, and depression, but placebo also helped with many other symptoms, so the true effect may be smaller than it appears.
What they did
24 women with moderate to severe premenstrual tension were studied in a double-blind trial. Symptoms were scored daily and checked with physical exams twice monthly.
What they found
CB154 (bromocriptine) treatment resulted in statistically significant improvement in breast tenderness (P < .005), bloating (P < .02), and depression (P < .05). Control cycle weight changes were not significantly different from zero (P > .10), despite reported symptoms of bloating and weight gain. Significant placebo effects were observed for several other symptoms.
What it means for you
Bromocriptine helped some specific symptoms, but the strong placebo effect shows that expectation and psychology play an important role in PMS. This is a small study with only 24 women.
24
women in study
P < .005
breast tenderness improvement
P < .02
bloating improvement
About the study
- Original title
- Bromocriptine in the treatment of premenstrual tension syndrome
- Authors
- Elsner CW, Buster JE, Schindler RA et al.
- Journal
- Obstetrics and gynecology
- Year
- 1980
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- What was tested
- CB154 (bromocriptine)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1097/00006254-198105000-00018
Topics
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