title: Higher maternal serum prolactin levels are associated with reduced glucose tolerance during pregnancy.
abstract: It is unknown if high prolactin levels during pregnancy contribute to the development of gestational diabetes. We hypothesized that higher prolactin levels are associated with reduced glucose tolerance, as determined by higher 2-h glucose level from an oral glucose tolerance test in pregnancy. The 75-g oral glucose tolerance test was carried out at 28 weeks of gestation in 69 participants. A multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between serum prolactin and 2-h glucose levels. Multivariable regression analysis showed an independent and significant relationship between third trimester prolactin and 2-h glucose levels post oral glucose tolerance test. Higher prolactin levels were associated with higher glucose levels independent of age, body mass index, gravidity and parity. Higher prolactin levels associated with reduced glucose tolerance in the third trimester of pregnancy suggests the possible independent role of prolactin in the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Medicine, Austin Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Australia.
authors.forename: Elif I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Ekinci
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Austin Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Niloufar
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6259-8675
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Torkamani
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sabashini K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ramchand
authors.affiliation: Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Leonid
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Churilov
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, Melbourne Pathology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Ken A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Sikaris
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, Melbourne Pathology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Zhong X
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Christine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Houlihan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D011388:Prolactin
keywords: Gestational diabetes mellitus; Maternal glycemia; Pregnancy