Serum prolactin level and its correlation with psychopathology in drug free/drug naïve schizophrenia a case control study.

BACKGROUND

There is a discrepancy in literature regarding level of prolactin in drug free/ drug naïve patients with non-affective psychosis. Few earlier studies have found low levels of prolactin whereas recent studies have found high levels of prolactin when compared to controls. Most of these studies have not considered the possible confounding factors. Also ours is the first study that evaluated the correlation between psychopathology & prolactin levels after considering the confounding agents.

METHOD

It was a cross sectional, hospital based case control study. Purposive sampling was done to identify the cases of schizophrenia. 59 cases and 59 controls fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria were taken for the study after taking consent. Socio-demographic and other relevant clinical data were collected. Scores of PANSS AND BPRS were collected on the day of admission. Blood samples were collected from 8 to 10 am in the morning. Samples were centrifuged and the serum was stored in sterile vials at minus 80° centigrade. Serum Prolactin, free T3, freeT4, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone & Cortisol levels were evaluated for both cases and controls and correlation between them and with psychopathology of cases was seen.

RESULTS

Our study showed that prolactin level was increased in drug free/naïve cases of schizophrenia. Significant difference was found between T4 levels of cases and controls. No correlation was found between prolactin and psychopathology.

CONCLUSION

Prolactin is increased in drug free/ drug naïve patients of schizophrenia and this is not related to confounding factors. There was no significant correlation between prolactin and psychopathology.