Abstract
The serum prolactin response to intravenous dopamine infusion (5 μg.kg -1.min -1) was measured in 21 healthy subjects, in 7 hyperprolactinemic patients without evidence of a pituitary tumor, and in 21 patients with prolactinomas. Mean serum values were significantly suppressed in all three groups, without any significant difference between the degree of suppression. A decrease of serum prolactin to below 50% of basal values occurred in 15 healthy subjects, in 4 patients without evidence of pituitary tumor, and in 14 patients with prolactinomas. These findings demonstrate that most human prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas are normally suppressible by exogenously administered dopamine and that dopamine infusion is not able to distinguish between tumorous and non-tumorous hyperprolactinemia. Since intravenously infused dopamine is believed to inhibit prolactin secretion by acting at pituitary level, it is suggested that a normal functioning of pituitary dopamine receptors is maintained in most human prolactinomas.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 519-523 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Clinical Endocrinology |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 6 |
Publication status | Published - 1980 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Endocrinology