ABSTRACT
Elevated serum PRL levels have been reported in SLE patients and its role in the pathogenesis of SLE is controversial. To assess frequency of hyperprolactinemia in patients with SLE and evaluate its possible clinical significant with the disease activity. The basal level of PRL is determined in a 23 female patients with SLE by radiommunometric assay. For every patient the systemic lupus disease activity index [SLEDAI] CBC, liver functions, serum creatinine, urine analysis, ESR, ANA, anti ds DNA, C3 and C4 were determined by standard technique. Any patients who had other conditions known to be associated with hyperprolactemia were excluded. Correlations between PRL concentrations and SLE clinical and serological activity were evaluated. The mean age of the studied population was 28.9 +/- 7SD years [range 19-46] and the mean duration was 3.3 +/- 6SD years [rang from 0 or new case to 11 years]