Serum prolactin levels in Behcet's disease

Purpose: Evaluation of serum prolactin levels in Behcet's disease patients in Turkey. Methods: Serum prolactin levels were measured by radio-immunoassay (RIA) in 17 patients with ocular findings, and 20 patients without ocular findings of Behcet's disease, and in 17 healthy volunteers. Results: The average prolactin levers were measured as 9.53 ng/mL in patien ts with ocular findings, 8.84 ng/mL in patients without ocular findings, an d 9.59 ng/mL in healthy controls. There was no statistical significance amo ng these three groups. Also, the average levels were 9.84 ng/mL in remissio n periods and 7.54 ng/mL in attacks. Conclusions: In some studies, it has been suggested there is a correlation between high serum prolactin levels and activation of some autoimmune disea ses, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. However , we found no such correlation in Behcet's disease. On the contrary, prolac tin levels were lower in attacks than in remissions. (C) 2000 Japanese Opht halmological Society.