Hyperprolactinaemia in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE: To verify the presence of hyper-PRL in SLE patients, its association with high disease activity, specific organ involvement or presence of anti-ds-DNA antibodies. METHODS: The group under study consisted of 80 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 28 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 27 healthy controls. PRL serum levels were assayed using standard commercial kits (Immunotech Prague) with the radioimmunometric method for testing three samples of each of the subjects. The samples were taken in the morning hours (9-11 a.m.) of absolute rest 30 minutes after the introduction of the cannula at 30-minute intervals. RESULTS: A significantly higher rate of elevated PRL levels was found in SLE patients (40.0%) compared with the healthy controls (14.8%, p < 0.017). No proof was found of association with the presence of anti-ds-DNA or with specific organ involvement. Similarly, elevated PRL levels were found in RA patients (39.3%). The PRL elevation tended to decline from the 1st to the 3rd sample in the group of patients with SLE and RA but not in healthy controls. CONCLUSION: As follows from our measurements of prolactin serum values in SLE patients they are varriable by definition. According to our opinion further investigations are needed.