Relation between elevated prolactin levels and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

heumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the synovial membrane resulting in joint destruction and disability. The role of prolactin in the immune response was demonstrated for the first time in 1972. The aim of this work was to measure the level of serum prolactin in RA patients and determine its association with disease activity. In this study we found that the serum prolactin level in RA patients was significantly higher than controls. Also, in this study serum prolactin level was higher in RA patients with severe disease activity compared to patients with moderate and low disease activity. Moreover, in this study there was significant positive correlation between serum prolactin in RA patients and ESR, CRP, SENS/86. It can be concluded from the present study that prolactin increases in RA patients and that higher levels are associated with severe disease activity, however further studies with larger number of patients is still needed to establish the exact role of prolactin in the pathogenesis of RA and wether anti-prolactin therapy could be of value in treatment of RA patients.