Serum prolactin response to repetitive epileptic seizures.
We measured postictal prolactin (PRL) levels during repetitive seizures in 14 patients (10 men and 4 women) suffering from epilepsy with focal and/or secondarily generalized seizures. Between two and six seizures occurred per patient (mean 2.7). The interveral between seizures was 15 min and 8 h 40 min (mean 3 h 32 min). Five of the 14 patients showed a marked postictal PRL rise after each seizure (i.e. concentrations above 700 microU/ml for women, 500 microU/ml for men). In the remaining 9 patients there was no detectable rise in PRL. A decrease in PRL did not occur in any of the 14 patients. In those patients who had shown a marked PRL increase after the first seizure, the PRL continued to rise in subsequent seizures. Unlike previous investigations, these results show that repetitive epileptic seizures are not necessarily followed by a decrease in postictal PRL levels. A decrease in PRL response is known to occur if there is progression to status epilepticus.
Bauer
J
J
Universitätsklinik für Epileptologie, Bonn, Germany.
Kaufmann
P
P
Klingmüller
D
D
Elger
C E
CE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017034:Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / Q000097:blood*; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D012008:Recurrence
D011388:Prolactin