Serum-prolactin levels in patients with vitiligo

Abstract

AimThis study aims to determine the relationship between prolactin, an important in vivo modulator of cellular and humoral immunity, and vitiligo in whose etiopathogenesis autoimmunity is thought to play a role. MethodsA total of 36 patients, 20 females and 16 males, clinically and histopathologically diagnosed with vitiligo, and total 40 healthy individuals, 26 females and 14 males, who are compatible in age and sex, were included in this study. Prolactin levels were measured in both groups. Descriptive statistics of the collected data were calculated. ResultsFifty-six percent of the patients were women, and 44% were men; and 65% of the control group were women and 35% were men. The serum prolactin levels of the patients ranged from 3.58 to 59.45 with a mean of 7.98 ± 4.45, and the serum prolactin levels of the control group ranged from 4.81 to 22.37 with a mean of 7.53 ± 3.61. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P > .05). ConclusionAlthough hyperprolactinemia has been associated with various autoimmune diseases, this study did not find statistically significant results for prolactin in the etiopathogenesis of vitiligo due to the limited number of patients. Further studies with a larger patient population and receptor-level investigations are needed.

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