ABSTRACT
Introduction: Transient elevation of serum prolactin levels occurs in immediate postictal period in true epileptic events only. Current study was aimed to investigate the role of postictal serum prolactin levels in differentiation of true seizures from pseudo epileptic events. Material and methods: A total of 110 patients of either sex between ages of 6 months to 12 years out of 676 cases admitted for seizure evaluation were enrolled in our study and divided into four groups. Group 1 included 30 children having frank seizures, group 2 included 30 children with typical febrile seizures, group 3 included 25 children with seizure mimics and group 4 included 25 children without seizures.The serum prolactin levels were quantitatively determined by using CoatA-Count Prolactin Immuno-radiometric assay (IRMA). All data was analyzed by standard statistical methods. Results: There were 64(58.2%) males and 46(41.8%) females with mean age of 60.8 and 61.3 months. The serum prolactin level was highest in group I with mean level of 25.5ng/ml ±10 SD(p value =0.00).The serum prolactin levels were raised in 30.3% (20/66) of patients in group I,II,and III when serum sample was obtained within 20 minutes and in none 0/19 (0.00%) when sample was taken after 20 minutes (p value =0.006).All patients with generalized tonic clonic seizures with abnormal EEG had abnormal prolactin levels while as only 83.3% with complex partial seizures and 20% with simple partial seizures had raised prolactin levels (p value =0.002). Conclusion: There was a significant rise in serum prolactin level in children with epileptic seizures as compared to febrile seizures and seizure like events.