[Low dose pergolide induced systemic edema and pleural effusion in a patient with Parkinson's disease].

A 77-year-old woman was admitted to our department due to leg edema of 2-year duration. The patient has been suffered from Parkinson's disease for 12 years and prescribed levodopa, selegiline, and small dosage of pergolide (200 microg/day). Leg edema developed one year after she took pergolide. Bilateral peripheral effusion was shown without any findings for malignancy, infection, and heart failure. After discontinuation of pergolide, both pleural effusion and systemic edema were solved. Pergolide was reported to cause cardiac valve fibrosis, pleural effusion and fibrosis, and peritoneal fibrosis. This case suggests that low dose pergolide (200 microg/day: cumulative dose is about 200 mg) could cause severe pleural effusion and systemic edema.