[Pituitary prolactin reserve in acute exacerbation of chronic respiratory insufficiency]

The level of pituitary prolactin reserve (PPR) was studied in 56 patients with chronic respiratory failure (CRF) in the acute stage after injections of metoclopramide and Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone (TRH). PPR was low in 90% of the subjects in both groups so that the pathogenic mechanism is more likely to be hypophyseal than hypothalamic and due to the reduced synthesis of PRL by the pituitary gland as a result of inadequate ATP synthesis and/or functional alterations to the receptors or pituitary cells following hypoxaemia and hypercapnia.