Circadian study of immunoreactive prolactin in patients with cirrhosis of the liver.

The pattern of immunoreactive prolactin secretion over 24 hr in a group of patients suffering from cirrhosis of the liver has been studied and compared to that of healthy controls. The results were analyzed by use of chronograms and by mean cosinor. Although the daily mean average secretion of serum prolactin by the cirrhotics is not different from that of the control subjects utilizing the standard t-test, cosinor analysis of the data fails to demonstrate a circadian rhythm for prolactin secretion in the cirrhotics. These results are discussed in view of the apparent clinical hyperestrogenization and known changes in electrolyte balance which are commonly found in persons with advanced liver disease.