Decreased prolactin response to hypoglycaemia in patients with RA: correlation with disease activity

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Ann Rheum Dis. 2004 Aug 19 [Epub ahead of print]

Decreased prolactin response to hypoglycaemia in patients with

rheumatoid arthritis: correlation with disease activity.

Eijsbouts AM, Van Den Hoogen FH, Laan RF, Sweep FC, Hermus AR, Van De

Putte LB.

St Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: To compare basal and stimulated prolactin levels between

patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy controls (HC) and to

assess the effects of antirheumatic treatment on prolactin levels in

patients with RA. METHODS: Serum prolactin levels were assessed under

basal conditions and during an insulin tolerance test (ITT) in 20

patients with recently diagnosed active RA and 20 age and sex matched

HC. The patients with recent onset RA were reassessed after 2 weeks

treatment with naproxen and after 6 months of additional treatment with

either sulphasalazine or methotrexate. Disease activity was assessed

with the disease activity score (DAS). RESULTS: Basal levels of

prolactin were not significantly different between patients with RA and

HC. Prolactin responses to hypoglycaemia were significantly lower in

untreated patients with RA than in HC. The DAS scores correlated

negatively with the area under the curve (AUC) for prolactin levels

during the ITT. Treatment with naproxen for 2 weeks did not influence

either basal or stimulated prolactin levels. After 6 months of

antirheumatic treatment prolactin responses to hypoglycaemia increased

significantly to levels observed in HC. At the same time point DAS had

improved considerably. This improvement correlated significantly with

the increase in AUC of prolactin during the ITT (r=0.48; p=0.05).

CONCLUSION: Patients with active RA have decreased prolactin responses

to hypoglycaemia induced stress. These responses restore following

treatment with antirheumatic drugs.

PMID: 15319231

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