ABSTRACT
Objective To study prospective the serum prolactin concentrations among patients with systemic lupus erylhematosus and their possible relationship to disease activity and manifestations. Serum prolactin levels were measured by Radioimmunoossay in 38 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and 22 age matched controls. Patients with known secondary causes for hyperprolactinaemia, such as pregnancy, lactation, prolactinoma and taking medications known to induce proiactin secretion, were excluded from the study. Demographic, clinical and laboralory Features of the patienrs were obtained. Patients were divided into two subgroups according to their disease activity. Mean prolacim levels from both groups were compared using student test, and prolactin from patients with systemic lupus erythemotosus was correlated with variables of disease activity, including the Systemic Lupus Erylhematosus Disease Activity Index [SLEDAI]. Results Mean proloctin levels were higher In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus [15,4] than healthy controls [9,83] however, the difference did not reach statistical significance [p=]. Hyperprolactinaemia was found in 24 patients with systemic lupus ery-themotosus and 5 controls. The frequency of hyperprolactinaemia in systemic lupus erythematosus group was higher than healthy controls. No significant difference in mean proloctin levels was found between patients with active versus inactive disease [1 8,9 vs 1 8,5], Conctusion; hyperprolactinaemia occurred significantly in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, but did not correlate with disease activity