title: Basal and TRH-stimulated prolactin in patients with pituitary tumours.
abstract: The diagnostic value of the assessment of prolactin (PRL) secretion in reaction to thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH) was investigated in twenty-four patients who had all radiological signs of a pituitary tumour and symptoms of hypogonadism and/or galactorrhoes. It was found that in these patients a PRL response to TRH can be present or absent, independent of the size of the tumour and/or the presence of suprasellar extension of the tumour. The measurement of several basal plasma PRL concentrations in combination with lateral tomography of the sella turcica seem to be a good screening for the existence of a prolactin producing pituitary adenoma and no important additional information is obtained by a TRH-test.
mesh_terms: D000238:Adenoma, Chromophobe / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011388:Prolactin