Randomised trial, 1983
Does bromocriptine help severe premenstrual tension?
No, bromocriptine did not work better than placebo. Most women improved on both (80% on placebo, 50-88% on bromocriptine), suggesting the improvement may not be from the medication itself.
What they did
Double-blind placebo controlled trial comparing three doses of bromocriptine (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mg/day) versus placebo. Women took medication from day 10 of their cycle until menstruation started, for three consecutive cycles.
What they found
80% of women taking placebo reported overall improvement. 50-88% of women taking bromocriptine reported similar improvement. Bromocriptine suppressed serum prolactin in all women who took it, but placebo did not.
What it means for you
Bromocriptine does not appear to work for severe premenstrual tension beyond placebo effect. The very high placebo response (80%) suggests future studies need a crossover design to properly test the drug.
30
women studied
80%
improved on placebo
50-88%
improved on bromocriptine
About the study
- Original title
- The treatment of severe premenstrual dysphoria with bromocriptine
- Authors
- Meir S Steiner, Roger F. Haskett, J. N. Osmun et al.
- Journal
- Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Year
- 1983
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 88
- What was tested
- Bromocriptine at three doses (2.5, 5.0, 7.5 mg/day) versus placebo
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3109/01674828309088322
Topics
Related studies
Systematic review, 2013
Does Vitex (chaste tree) help PMS and PMDD symptoms?
Randomised trial, 2008
Does drospirenone with ethinyl estradiol birth control help PMDD?
Systematic review, 2008
What treatments work best for PMS and PMDD?
Randomised trial, 2003
What treatments work for PMS and PMDD?
Review, 2002
What treatments work best for PMS and PMDD?
Randomised trial, 2010
Do birth control pills with drospirenone help PMDD?