Serum prolactin level in psoriasis: Is it really higher than in healthy individuals?

Background: psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disease with a genetic predisposition. prolactin may contribute to psoriasis pathogenesis. however, there has been a debate over the serum level of prolactin in psoriatic patients. the aim of this study was to describe the role of serum prolactin in the pathogenesis of psoriasis method: the serum prolactin level was measured in 45 patients with psoriasis and in 45 sex- and age-matched healthy individuals using radioimmunoassay. result: the mean serum prolactin concentration was not different between psoriatic patients and healthy controls (320 ± 179.38 vs. 318.18 ± 191.78 miu/l, respectively p = 0.95). there was no sexand age-related differences in serum prolactin between the two study groups. hyperprolactinemia (serum prolactin >324 miu/l in men, and >496 miu/l for women) was observed in 11 patients with psoriasis and 12 healthy subjects, which showed no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.81). the serum prolactin was not significantly correlated with the duration of the disease (r = -0.18, p = 0.24) or the pasi score (r = 0.10, p = 0.50). conclusion: the possible role of pituitary-produced circulating prolactin in the disease process needs further investigations.