What does prolactin mean?

Prolactin is like a hormone, but the name is slightly different. Prolactin may fluctuate at normal times and fail to reach normal levels, which will cause abnormal body reactions. For example, patients may experience irregular menstruation, less or more menstrual blood volume, and severe cases may even experience amenorrhea. The harm is quite serious, so patients must find the right treatment method and understand some related issues of prolactin.

Basic introduction: Prolactin is a polypeptide hormone, also called prolactin (PRL). It is a single-chain protein hormone secreted by the eosinophilic prolactin cells (lactotroph) in the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. The secretion of prolactin is pulsatile and varies greatly throughout the day. Within 1 hour of sleep

The pulse amplitude of prolactin secretion increases rapidly, then remains at a high level during sleep and begins to decline after waking up. The serum prolactin concentration at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning is twice that at noon. Women secrete abundant prolactin in the late stages of pregnancy and during lactation to promote breast development and lactation. The highest level of prolactin in the serum of non-pregnant women generally does not exceed 20 ng/ml.

The secretion of prolactin is pulsatile and varies greatly throughout the day. The pulse amplitude of prolactin secretion increases rapidly within 1 hour of sleep, then the secretion remains at a high level during sleep and begins to decline after waking up. The serum prolactin concentration at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning is twice that at noon.

Content reference range (unit: ug/L)

Men: 2.58-18.12

Women: 1.20-29.93

Non-pregnant women: 109.8~562.4 (unit: mIU/L)

High levels of prolactin can cause the following symptoms:

1. Irregular menstruation: primary amenorrhea 4%, secondary amenorrhea 89%, oligomenorrhea 7%

. Dysfunctional uterine bleeding and luteal dysfunction account for 23% to 77%. Ovulatory dysfunction and luteal insufficiency are manifested by oligomenorrhea, amenorrhea and infertility, which are the most common symptoms. Other related symptoms include habitual abortion, loss of libido, hirsutism, acne, etc. Gynecological examination may reveal symptoms of estrogen deficiency, such as dry vaginal mucosa and decreased secretions.

2. Galactorrhea: Milk can be seen by squeezing both breasts, and fat droplets can be seen under the microscope. In non-tumor type, it is 20.84%. 70.52% of the tumor type. Simple galactorrhea: 63-83.55%. The breasts are usually normal or with lobular hyperplasia or macromastia.

3. Osteopenia: The long-term decrease in estrogen levels caused by HP can cause a decrease in bone density.

4. When the prolactin level is high, visual impairment, nervous system diseases, hypopituitarism, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea and other diseases may occur.