Pleuropulmonary disease due to pergolide use for restless legs syndrome

Chest. 2001 Jul;120(1):313-6. doi: 10.1378/chest.120.1.313.

Abstract

Pergolide is an ergot-derived dopamine agonist used in Parkinson's disease and, increasingly, in restless legs syndrome. We report a patient with a 2.5-year history of weight loss, pleuropulmonary fibrosis, and exudative pleural effusion that developed insidiously while taking this medication. The extensive and invasive workup that preceded the diagnosis highlights the difficulty in attributing such a process to a drug reaction. This is the second report of such a reaction to pergolide, which is one of the increasing number of ergot-derived compounds in common clinical use.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Dopamine Agonists / adverse effects*
  • Dopamine Agonists / therapeutic use
  • Fibrosis
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pergolide / adverse effects*
  • Pergolide / therapeutic use
  • Pleural Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Pleural Diseases / diagnosis
  • Pleural Effusion / chemically induced
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / chemically induced*
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / diagnosis
  • Restless Legs Syndrome / drug therapy*

Substances

  • Dopamine Agonists
  • Pergolide