Effect of hyperprolactinemia on the androgen response to an oral glucose load.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of hyperprolactinemia on the androgen response to an oral glucose load in patients with normal and abnormal carbohydrate metabolism.


METHODS
Sixty-three women underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at approximately 6 weeks' postpartum.


METHODS
University hospital setting.


METHODS
Patients with a previous history of gestational diabetes.


METHODS
Adrenal and ovarian androgen response to oral glucose load.


RESULTS
Results were stratified by the result of the OGTT (patients with impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes as a single group and patients with a normal OGTT as a separate group) and prolactin (PRL) level. All androgens decreased significantly over the 2-hour test in all groups except dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) in the patients with both elevated PRL and abnormal glucose tolerance.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperprolactinemia and insulin resistance may act synergistically in the adrenal to alter DHEAS suppression and may result in chronically elevated circulating DHEAS levels.
Falcone
T
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Meltzer
S
S
Morris
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000097:blood*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy
D000728:Androgens; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate