Serum prolactin level in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis during relapse

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Endocrinology
• Immunology

Background:

• Hyperprolactinemia, a condition of elevated serum prolactin, is a potential factor in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS).
• Understanding the relationship between prolactin and MS pathogenesis is crucial for developing targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between serum prolactin levels and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).
• To determine if RRMS patients exhibit higher prolactin concentrations compared to healthy individuals.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study was conducted involving 58 patients with definite RRMS during relapse and 58 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.
• Serum prolactin (PRL) concentrations were measured in all participants.

Main Results:

• Patients with RRMS showed significantly higher mean serum PRL levels (501.3 ± 232.6 mIU/L) compared to healthy controls (233.3 ± 142.7 mIU/L; p < 0.0001).
• This hyperprolactinemic state was observed in both females with MS and males with MS when compared to their respective controls.
• Specifically, females with MS had higher PRL (704.4 ± 119.6 mIU/L) than female controls (305.5 ± 156.9 mIU/L; p < 0.001), and males with MS had higher PRL (358.0 ± 180.0 mIU/L) than male controls (182.3 ± 107.5 mIU/L; p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• The findings provide strong evidence supporting the hypothesis that patients with RRMS experience a hyperprolactinemic state.
• Elevated prolactin levels appear to be a characteristic feature of RRMS, irrespective of gender.