Methods of identifying responders to dopamine agonist therapy

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of identifying patients to be treated by dopamine agonist therapy comprising the step of analyzing a plasma or urine sample from said patient for concentrations of norepinephrine (NE), norepinephrine metabolites (NE metabolites), dopamine, dopamine metabolites, serotonin, serotonin metabolites, or fasting triglycerides, wherein one or more of: (a) NE metabolites, (b) NE/NE metabolites:dopamine/dopamine metabolites, (c) NE and serotonin, (d) NE/NE metabolites and serotonin, (e) NE and serotonin metabolites, (f) NE/NE metabolites and serotonin metabolites, or (g) NE is/are greater than about 30% over normal level; or dopamine/dopamine metabolites are less than about 30% below normal; or fasting triglycerides are greater than about 150 mg/dl and/or said patient has blood pressure of greater than about 135/85 mm Hg. The present invention is also directed to treating identified patients with dopamine agonist therapy.

1 . A method of identifying patients to be treated by dopamine agonist therapy comprising the steps of: 
 analyzing a plasma or urine sample from said patient for concentrations of norepinephrine (NE), norepinephrine metabolites (NE metabolites), dopamine, dopamine metabolites, serotonin, serotonin metabolites, or fasting triglycerides, wherein one or more of: 
 a) NE metabolites,  
 b) NE/NE metabolites:dopamine/dopamine metabolites,  
 c) NE and serotonin,  
 d) NE/NE metabolites and serotonin,  
 e) NE and serotonin metabolites,  
 f) NE/NE metabolites and serotonin metabolites, or  
 g) NE,  
   is/are greater than about 30% over normal level; or    dopamine/dopamine metabolites are less than about 30% below normal; or    fasting triglycerides are greater than about 150 mg/dl and/or said patient has blood pressure of greater than about 135/85 mm Hg.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said patient is suffering from a condition selected from the group consisting of Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, obesity, hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, elevated plasma lipid levels, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       3 . A method of treating a patient suffering from a metabolic condition, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) identifying patients to be treated by dopamine agonist therapy according to  claim 1 , and    (b) administering to said identified patients a pharmaceutically effective regimen of dopamine agonist therapy;    wherein said metabolic condition is selected from the group consisting of Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, obesity, hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, elevated plasma lipid levels, and combinations thereof.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said pharmaceutically effective regimen of dopamine agonist therapy comprises administration of bromocriptine.