PROLACTIN IN DIABETIC PRAECOMA

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 75  (2) , 235-239
Abstract
Prolactin [P] may exert a diabetogenic action in animal and man. The changes of serum P in severely hyperglycemic patients in a precomatose state (n = 12) were studied. Basal serum P levels were 12.0 .+-. 3.4 (SE) ng/ml on admission and well within the normal range (< 20 ng/ml). Rehydration of the patients which induced a significant fall in blood glucose (31.2 .+-. 2.1 to 21.6 .+-. 2.9 mmol/l) and in serum osmolality (336 .+-. 9 to 316 .+-. 10 mosmol/kg H2O) was however without any effect on serum P concentration (9.9 .+-. 2.5 ng/ml at the end of the rehydration period). P apparently is not involved in the severe endocrine and metabolic derangements seen in diabetic precoma; its secretion does not seem to be markedly altered by acute changes in blood glucose and serum osmolality.