title: Antecedent factors and outcome in amenorrhea-galactorrhea.
abstract: One hundred seventeen patients with amenorrhea and galactorrhea or hyperprolactinemia were evaluated with regard to antecedent factors, results of investigations, and management. Full details of the outcome of prolonged follow-up were available for 104 patients. Patients who developed amenorrhea-galactorrhea after withdrawal of oral contraceptives or postpartum had a lower incidence of pituitary adenomas than did those who developed amenorrhea-galactorrhea spontaneously. Six of a total of 40 tumors were detected only during the follow-up period. This study suggests that patients with spontaneous amenorrhea-galactorrhea have a greater risk of developing a detectable pituitary adenoma than do those with postpill or postpartum symptoms. However, patients with a microadenoma are more likely to have had postpill onset of hyperprolactinemia. Plasma prolactin (PRL) in patients with postpill amenorrhea-galactorrhea increased in proportion to the duration of oral contraceptive use.
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005687:Galactorrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007775:Lactation Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D010901:Pituitary Function Tests; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin