The British Journal of Rheumatology, Vol 36, 986-989, Copyright © 1997 by British Society for Rheumatology
CC Mok, CS Lau and SC Tam
Prolactin (PRL) is an important immunoregulatory hormone secreted by the
anterior pituitary gland. Hyperprolactinaemia has been implicated in the
pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, clinical
studies regarding the PRL level and lupus disease activity have yielded
contradictory results. The aim of our present study was, therefore, to
re-evaluate the association of PRL level and disease activity in SLE by
analysing a larger patient cohort and following them up serially.
Seventy-two consecutive SLE patients were recruited and the serum PRL level
was measured at each visit. Our results showed that hyperprolactinaemia
(> 500 mIU/l) occurred in 35% (25/72) of the patients. A total of 72%
(18/25) of the hyperprolactinaemic patients had mild elevation (arbitrarily
defined as 500-800 mIU/l) of the level only. No correlation could be found
between the PRL level and various clinical and serological parameters of
lupus disease activity. On serial follow-up of 44 patients, again no
correlation between PRL and disease activity could be demonstrated. We
conclude that hyperprolactinaemia occurs in some patients with SLE, but the
serum level of PRL does not correlate with clinical or serological disease
activity and is not a reliable marker for disease monitoring. The mechanism
and pathoaetiological and clinical significance of hyperprolactinaemia in a
small subset of SLE patients remain unclear and a longer follow-up is
necessary.
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Prolactin profile in a cohort of Chinese systemic lupus erythematosus patients
University Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
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