Macroprolactin over time: Is there any point in rechecking it in people with a persistently elevated serum prolactin?
Authors' conclusion
In this study, only 19/465 patients appeared to change macroprolactin status based on a 60% PEG recovery cut-off. The majority of these 19 patients were on antipsychotic/antidepressant medication(s) or had a prolactinoma; in only 7 did monomeric prolactin change significantly. This suggests that once macroprolactin status has been determined, clinical decision making is rarely affected by repeating it.
Study context
- Population
- Hyperprolactinaemic individuals with macroprolactin screening (prolactin > 700 miu/L), laboratory data 1 January 2012 to 1 April 2021; 599 males/2183 females, median age 35 (IQR 25–47)2,782 macroprolactin checks
- Participants
- 1,810 individuals
- Outcome
- Variation in macroprolactin status (PEG precipitation, <60% recovery screening positive) on serial measurements
- Follow-up
- 9 years
Methodological detailsserial laboratory measurements, polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation screening, Macroprolactin checks were 12.5% of all prolactin tests
- Serial laboratory measurements
- PEG precipitation screening
- Macroprolactin checks were 12.5% of all prolactin tests
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Change in macroprolactin status across 60% PEG recovery cut-off among patients with multiple checks
- Patients with multiple macroprolactin checks
- 465 (1437 measurements)
- Patients screening positive (<60% recovery)
- 94 (141 measurements)
- Patients with at least one result above and one below 60% cut-off
- 19 (18 female)
- Of these, results close to 60% cut-off
- 10
- Of these, results clearly different between repeat samples
- 9
- Potentially clinically significant difference in adjusted monomeric prolactin
- 7
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Macroprolactin over time: Is there any point in rechecking it in people with a persistently elevated serum prolactin? Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). Published 27 March 2024. doi:10.
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