Effects of hyperprolactinemia on osteoporotic fracture risk in premenopausal women

The aim of the study was to evaluate the osteoporotic fracture risk in premenopausal women with hyperprolactinemia due to prolactinoma. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in 20 white, premenopausal women with prolactinoma and in 60 healthy control white women, using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) at the os calcis, with an Achilles Lunar Plus device. We measured all three parameters of QUS: broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), speed of sound (SOS) and stiffness. BMD results were expressed also as T- and Z-scores. Age and body mass index (BMI) were not statistically significantly different between the two groups. Comparative analysis showed reduced values of QUS parameters in women with prolactinoma versus controls. Only the difference in SOS parameter was statistically significant between the two studied groups (p = 0.0001). The Z-score was significant lower in women with prolactinoma than in healthy women. These data reveal a significant bone loss in women with prolactinoma compared to controls. The SOS parameter showed a good negative correlation with age, and all the QUS parameters were positively correlated with BMI. The relative risk for developing osteoporosis in women with prolactinoma was found to be 4.5, indicating that hyperprolactinemia in women is a major risk factor for osteoporosis.