Vnitr Lek 2007, 53(12):1265-1268

Prolactine response to stress in patients with systemic lupus erythematodes (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in healthy controls

C. Dostál^1,*, M. Fojtíková¹, Z. Lacinová², M. Černá³, L. Moszkorzová¹, J. Zvárová⁴, J. Marek²

¹ Revmatologický ústav Praha, ředitel prof. MUDr. Karel Pavelka, DrSc.

² III. interní klinika 1. lékařské fakulty UK a VFN Praha, přednosta prof. MUDr. Štěpán Svačina, DrSc., MBA

³ Oddělení buněčné a molekulární biologie 3. lékařské fakulty UK Praha, přednosta doc. RNDr. Jan Kovář, DrSc.

⁴ EuroMISE Centrum Praha, ředitelka prof. RNDr. Jana Zvárová, DrSc.

Prolactin is a one of the stress hormones, like the growth hormone, ACTH, cortisol and catecholamins. Among its wide range of functions is the important role of controlling the immune response which is, unlike in the case of cortisol, of stimulatory nature. For this activity, it is monitored as a factor influencing the progress and course of autoimmune diseases. The authors of the paper monitored prolactin response to stress in a normal stress situation, i.e. blood collection. A significant difference was detected between the levels of prolactin in 3 successive blood collections in 30 minute intervals (P < 0.001). Prolactin responded by a prompt increase in the serum level, followed by a relatively fast linear decrease. There was no difference in the response between the SLE and RA patient groups and the healthy population. Therefore we conclude that this is a normal reaction of the organism because acute response to stress in patients with autoimmune diseases is the same as in healthy persons.

Keywords: prolactin; stress; systemic lupus erythematodes; rheumatoid arthritis

Received: January 29, 2007; Accepted: February 6, 2007; Published: December 1, 2007  Show citation