Spontaneous development of hyperprolactinaemia.
Spontaneous development of hyperprolactinaemia was investigated by measuring prolactin levels in 34 hyperprolactinaemic females with a normal sella turcica, in 19 females with a radiologically proven prolactinoma, and in 19 females with a histologically proven prolactinoma after transsphenoidal surgery. Prolactin levels remained unchanged or declined in 69 patients followed over a period of up to 6 years. In one patient with a normal sella turcica, prolactin levels increased accompanied by the development of a radiologically detectable microprolactinoma. In one patient with a radiologically proven macroprolactinoma the increase of human prolactin (hPrl) levels was accompanied by infiltrative and parasellar prolactinoma growth. One patient showed a dramatic increase of post-operative persisting elevated hPrl levels without radiological changes. These findings suggest that prolactinomas in general have a limited growth potential which should be considered in the management of hyperprolactinaemic patients.
D000236:Adenoma / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D011388:Prolactin