EFFECT OF CIMETIDINE ON SERUM PROLACTIN IN NORMAL WOMEN AND PATIENTS WITH HYPERPROLACTINAEMIA

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In normal women, i.v. injection of the H2-antihistamine, cimetidine, provoked a 3- to 4-fold rise in serum prolactin, without changes in serum growth hormone, TSH or gonadotropins. Hyperprolactinemic patients with pituitary tumors, idiopathic hyperprolactinemia or hypothalamic lesions demonstrated little or no rise in serum prolactin (expressed as a percentage increment) in response to cimetidine; these responses were significantly more blunted than the prolactin responses to i.v. TRH in the same subjects. Post-partum women also demonstrated blunted percentage prolactin responses to cimetidine, although responses to TRH were, in most patients, normal. Dynamic testing of prolactin secretion with cimetidine apparently is no more useful than TRH in distinguishing tumorous from non-tumorous hyperprolactinemia.