Serum prolactin levels in HLA-B27-associated uveitis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate basal serum prolactin levels in patients with HLA-B27-associated uveitis.


METHODS
Prospective, nonrandomized comparative trial. Thirty-three patients with HLAB27- associated uveitis and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were included. Age, systemic disease, treatment, and uveitis activity were recorded for comparative analysis between groups. Fourteen out of 23 patients with arthritic disease had ankylosing spondylitis. Basal serum prolactin levels were determined by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay on a Modular Analytics E170 analyzer.


RESULTS
Prolactinemia was significantly higher (mean=15.84 ng/mL) in patients vs controls (mean=11.50 ng/mL) (p=0.026). Subgroup analysis revealed prolactinemia in arthritic disease patients (mean=17.21 ng/mL) significantly higher than controls (mean=11.50 ng/mL) (p=0.009) and in ankylosing spondylitis (mean=17.65 ng/mL) vs controls (mean=11.50 ng/mL) (p=0.006). No correlation was found between prolactinemia and systemic treatment. Prolactinemia did not correlate with disease activity. Autoimmunity features also correlated with higher prolactinemia (mean=17.26 ng/mL) vs controls (mean=11.50 ng/mL) (p=0.015).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest the role of serum prolactin levels in HLA-B27-associated uveitis pathogenesis and its subgroups. There was no correlation with disease activity.
Proenca
H
H
Department of Ophthalmology, Visual Sciences Research Centre, University of Lisbon, Lisbon - Portugal. helenproenca@hotmail.com
Ferreira
C
C
Miranda
M
M
Castanheira-Dinis
A
A
Monteiro-Grillo
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000097:blood; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology
D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen; D011388:Prolactin