title: Sexual function and depressive symptoms in young women with elevated macroprolactin content: a pilot study.
abstract: Elevated prolactin levels seem to be associated with impaired sexuality. The clinical significance of macroprolactinemia, associated with the predominance of high molecular mass circulating forms of prolactin, is still poorly understood. This study was aimed at investigating sexual function in young women with macroprolactinemia. The study enrolled 14 young women with macroprolactinemia, 14 with increased monomeric prolactin levels, as well as 14 age- and weight-matched healthy women. All patients completed a questionnaire evaluating female sexual function (Female Sexual Function Index-FSFI), as well as a questionnaire assessing the presence and severity of depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition-BDI-II). Apart from total prolactin levels and macroprolactin content, circulating levels of thyrotropin, total testosterone, and 17-β estradiol were also measured. Patients with elevated monomeric prolactin levels had a lower total FSFI score, as well as lower scores for all domains: sexual desire, sexual arousal, lubrication, orgasm, sexual satisfaction, and dyspareunia. These scores correlated with total and monomeric prolactin levels. In turn, women with macroprolactinemia were characterized by a lower score for sexual desire, and only this score correlated with total prolactin levels and macroprolactin content. The total score in the BDI-II questionnaire was higher in patients with hyper- and macroprolactinemia than in the control subjects. Contrary to multidimensional impairment of sexual function in women with elevated monomeric prolactin, macroprolactinemia only seems to disturb sexual desire.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krysiak
authors.affiliation: Chair of Woman's Health, School of Health Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 12, 40-752, Katowice, Poland. cor111@poczta.onet.pl.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drosdzol-Cop
authors.affiliation: Chair of Woman's Health, School of Health Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 12, 40-752, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Skrzypulec-Plinta
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Bogusław
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Okopien
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D007989:Libido / Q000502:physiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C060678:prolactin, polymeric; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D011388:Prolactin
keywords: Depressive symptoms; Hyperprolactinemia; Macroprolactin; Polyethylene glycol assay; Prolactin; Sexual functioning