PROLACTIN IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS

Objective. To estimate the prevalence and evaluate the clinical signif icance of hyperprolactinemia in a cohort of 82 consecutively reviewed patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods. Basal prola ctin levels and clinical data were analyzed in 82 consecutive patients with SLE, and longitudinal studies were carried out in 30/82 patients . Results. Hyperprolactinemia was not associated with active disease i n the group as a whole (p = 0.145) or in longitudinal studies in 30 pa tients (p = 0.294). However, SLE was more often active in patients wit h hyperprolactinemia without any obvious causes (8/9 samples) compared with patients with known secondary causes for hyperprolactinemia (p = 0.088). Conclusion. Hyperprolactinemia is likely not associated with disease activity in SLE.