Study of prolactin hormone level in chronic hepatic diseases with endocrine changes

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work was to assess prolactin level, basal and after metoclopramide stimulation, in chronic hepatic diseases with endocrinal changes. The work was performed on 15 male patients with chronic hepatic diseases essentially cirrhosis with endocrinal changes and 10 normal controls matched for age and sex. Every patient was subjected to fine clinical examination, liver function tests, abdominal ultrasonography, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Liver biopsy was done for 3 cases and estimation of serum prolactin basal and after metoclopramide [dopamine antagonist] stimulation. The results revealed that 5 out of 15 cases had elevated serum prolactin values however the mean basal values of serum prolactin in cirrhotic patients did not vary significantly from that of control groups. There is no significant difference in prolactin response after metoclopramide administration in both cirrhotic and control groups. Basal serum prolactin values and values 1 and 2 hours after metoclopramide administration in cirrhotic patients with gynecomastia did not vary significantly from the corresponding values in cases without gynecomastia. There is no significant difference of serum prolactin values between cirrhotic patients with serum bilirubin less than 1.5 mg% and those with serum bilirubin more than 1.5 mg%. Cirrhotic patients with marked hepatocellular affection showed an exaggerated response at two hours after stimulation, while there was no significant difference of prolactin values before and 1 hour after metoclopramide administration in cirrhotics with elevated serum transaminases and those with normal serum transaminases