[Blood prolactin in 845 cases of clinically idiopathic sexual dysfunction]

Serum prolactin levels were measured in 845 subjects presenting with clinically idiopathic sexual dysfunction, including impotence, premature or defective ejaculation and frigidity in women. Stimulation tests using thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) and sulpiride were performed in 80 men. One p. cent of impotent subjects had high serum prolactin levels associated with pituitary adenoma in 4/5 cases; 2.2% of impotent men, 10% of men with premature ejaculation and 5.6% of frigid women had moderate hyperprolactinaemia (50 ng/ml), probably not responsible for the sexual disorder. Mean serum prolactin levels were slightly below normal values (p less than 0.05) in impotent subjects. The results of stimulation tests were normal in all but one case. The mean area under the TRH response curve was moderately reduced in subject with impotence or defective ejaculation (p less than 0,05). The present study suggests that serum prolactin levels should be systematically measured in subjects with sexual impotence.