Frequency of Macroprolactinemia in Hyperprolactinemic Women Presenting with Menstrual Irregularities, Galactorrhea, and/or Infertility: Etiology and Clinical Manifestations

Aim. To determine the frequency of macroprolactinemia, its etiology, and the clinical manifestations in patients with hyperprolactinemia presenting with menstrual irregularities, galactorrhea, and/or infertility who were attended by the gynecology-endocrinology service. Methods. In a cross-sectional...

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Main Authors: Alfredo Leaños-Miranda, Karla Leticia Ramírez-Valenzuela, Inova Campos-Galicia, Rosario Chang-Verdugo, Lizbeth Zarela Chinolla-Arellano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:International Journal of Endocrinology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/478282
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author Alfredo Leaños-Miranda
Karla Leticia Ramírez-Valenzuela
Inova Campos-Galicia
Rosario Chang-Verdugo
Lizbeth Zarela Chinolla-Arellano
author_facet Alfredo Leaños-Miranda
Karla Leticia Ramírez-Valenzuela
Inova Campos-Galicia
Rosario Chang-Verdugo
Lizbeth Zarela Chinolla-Arellano
author_sort Alfredo Leaños-Miranda
collection DOAJ
description Aim. To determine the frequency of macroprolactinemia, its etiology, and the clinical manifestations in patients with hyperprolactinemia presenting with menstrual irregularities, galactorrhea, and/or infertility who were attended by the gynecology-endocrinology service. Methods. In a cross-sectional study, 326 hyperprolactinemic women were tested for serum prolactin (PRL) concentrations before and after chromatographic separation (gel filtration and affinity with protein G) and extraction of free PRL with polyethylene glycol (PEG). Results. Sera from 57 patients (17.5%) were found to have macroprolactinemia. The presence of macroprolactinemia was attributable to anti-PRL autoantibodies in 54 (94.7%) patients. The median serum PRL levels were similar in patients with or without macroprolactinemia (42.0 versus 38.1 ng/mL). In contrast, patients with macroprolactinemia had lower serum-free PRL levels (median 9.2 versus 31.7 ng/mL, ). Patients without macroprolactinemia had a higher frequency of galactorrhea and abnormal pituitary imagine findings (). Conclusions. We can conclude that macroprolactinemia should be considered as a benign variant, and it must be ruled out in women presenting with menstrual irregularities, galactorrhea, and/or infertility in order to investigate other causes different than hyperprolactinemia. Serum PRL precipitated with PEG is a convenient and simple procedure to screen for the presence of macroprolactinemia.
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spelling doaj-art-0deaa001b6ea4c918b8263e6b277e16b2025-08-20T03:55:33ZengWileyInternational Journal of Endocrinology1687-83371687-83452013-01-01201310.1155/2013/478282478282Frequency of Macroprolactinemia in Hyperprolactinemic Women Presenting with Menstrual Irregularities, Galactorrhea, and/or Infertility: Etiology and Clinical ManifestationsAlfredo Leaños-Miranda0Karla Leticia Ramírez-Valenzuela1Inova Campos-Galicia2Rosario Chang-Verdugo3Lizbeth Zarela Chinolla-Arellano4Research Unit in Reproductive Medicine, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Ginecología y Obstetricia, Luis Castelazo Ayala, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Don Luis No. 111, Col. Nativitas, 03500 México, DF, MexicoResearch Unit in Reproductive Medicine, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Ginecología y Obstetricia, Luis Castelazo Ayala, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Don Luis No. 111, Col. Nativitas, 03500 México, DF, MexicoResearch Unit in Reproductive Medicine, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Ginecología y Obstetricia, Luis Castelazo Ayala, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Don Luis No. 111, Col. Nativitas, 03500 México, DF, MexicoClinical Laboratory, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Ginecología y Obstetricia, Luis Castelazo Ayala, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México, DF, MexicoResearch Unit in Reproductive Medicine, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Ginecología y Obstetricia, Luis Castelazo Ayala, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Don Luis No. 111, Col. Nativitas, 03500 México, DF, MexicoAim. To determine the frequency of macroprolactinemia, its etiology, and the clinical manifestations in patients with hyperprolactinemia presenting with menstrual irregularities, galactorrhea, and/or infertility who were attended by the gynecology-endocrinology service. Methods. In a cross-sectional study, 326 hyperprolactinemic women were tested for serum prolactin (PRL) concentrations before and after chromatographic separation (gel filtration and affinity with protein G) and extraction of free PRL with polyethylene glycol (PEG). Results. Sera from 57 patients (17.5%) were found to have macroprolactinemia. The presence of macroprolactinemia was attributable to anti-PRL autoantibodies in 54 (94.7%) patients. The median serum PRL levels were similar in patients with or without macroprolactinemia (42.0 versus 38.1 ng/mL). In contrast, patients with macroprolactinemia had lower serum-free PRL levels (median 9.2 versus 31.7 ng/mL, ). Patients without macroprolactinemia had a higher frequency of galactorrhea and abnormal pituitary imagine findings (). Conclusions. We can conclude that macroprolactinemia should be considered as a benign variant, and it must be ruled out in women presenting with menstrual irregularities, galactorrhea, and/or infertility in order to investigate other causes different than hyperprolactinemia. Serum PRL precipitated with PEG is a convenient and simple procedure to screen for the presence of macroprolactinemia.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/478282
spellingShingle Alfredo Leaños-Miranda
Karla Leticia Ramírez-Valenzuela
Inova Campos-Galicia
Rosario Chang-Verdugo
Lizbeth Zarela Chinolla-Arellano
Frequency of Macroprolactinemia in Hyperprolactinemic Women Presenting with Menstrual Irregularities, Galactorrhea, and/or Infertility: Etiology and Clinical Manifestations
International Journal of Endocrinology
title Frequency of Macroprolactinemia in Hyperprolactinemic Women Presenting with Menstrual Irregularities, Galactorrhea, and/or Infertility: Etiology and Clinical Manifestations
title_full Frequency of Macroprolactinemia in Hyperprolactinemic Women Presenting with Menstrual Irregularities, Galactorrhea, and/or Infertility: Etiology and Clinical Manifestations
title_fullStr Frequency of Macroprolactinemia in Hyperprolactinemic Women Presenting with Menstrual Irregularities, Galactorrhea, and/or Infertility: Etiology and Clinical Manifestations
title_full_unstemmed Frequency of Macroprolactinemia in Hyperprolactinemic Women Presenting with Menstrual Irregularities, Galactorrhea, and/or Infertility: Etiology and Clinical Manifestations
title_short Frequency of Macroprolactinemia in Hyperprolactinemic Women Presenting with Menstrual Irregularities, Galactorrhea, and/or Infertility: Etiology and Clinical Manifestations
title_sort frequency of macroprolactinemia in hyperprolactinemic women presenting with menstrual irregularities galactorrhea and or infertility etiology and clinical manifestations
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/478282
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