Relationship of serum prolactin with severity of drug use and treatment outcome in cocaine dependence.
BACKGROUND
Alteration in serum prolactin (PRL) levels may reflect changes in central dopamine activity, which modulates the behavioral effects of cocaine. Therefore, serum PRL may have a potential role as a biological marker of drug severity and treatment outcome in cocaine dependence.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated whether serum PRL levels differed between cocaine-dependent (CD) subjects and controls, and whether PRL levels were associated with severity of drug use and treatment outcome in CD subjects.


METHODS
Basal PRL concentrations were assayed in 141 African-American (AA) CD patients attending an outpatient treatment program and 60 AA controls. Severity of drug use was assessed using the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). Measures of abstinence and retention during 12 weeks of treatment and at 6-month follow-up were employed as outcome variables.


RESULTS
The basal PRL (ng/ml) in CD patients (9.28+/-4.13) was significantly higher than controls (7.33+/-2.94) (t=3.77, P<0.01). At baseline, PRL was positively correlated with ASI-drug (r=0.38, P<0.01), ASI-alcohol (r=0.19, P<0.05), and ASI-psychological (r=0.25, P<0.01) composite scores, and with the quantity of cocaine use (r=0.18, P<0.05). However, PRL levels were not significantly associated with number of negative urine screens, days in treatment, number of sessions attended, dropout rate or changes in ASI scores during treatment and at follow-up. Also, basal PRL did not significantly contribute toward the variance in predicting any of the outcome measures.


CONCLUSIONS
Although cocaine use seems to influence PRL levels, it does not appear that PRL is a predictor of treatment outcome in cocaine dependence.
Patkar
Ashwin A
AA
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Jefferson Medical College and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 33 South 9th Street, Suite 210E, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. ashwin.patkar@jefferson.edu
Mannelli
Paolo
P
Certa
Kenneth M
KM
Peindl
Kathleen
K
Murray
Heather
H
Vergare
Michael J
MJ
Berrettini
Wade H
WH
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology; D000367:Age Factors; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients; D018579:Patient Selection; D015143:Philadelphia / Q000208:ethnology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011388:Prolactin; D003042:Cocaine