Its hormones help regulate important functions such as growth, metabolism, blood pressure and reproduction. Other possible causes of prolactin overproduction include medications, other types of pituitary tumors, an underactive thyroid gland, ongoing irritation to the chest, pregnancy and breast-feeding.28 May 2020
What does high macroprolactin mean?
If prolactin levels are higher than normal, it often means there is a type of tumor of the pituitary gland, known as a prolactinoma. This tumor makes the gland produce too much prolactin. Excess prolactin can cause the production of breast milk in men and in women who are not pregnant or breastfeeding.17 Dec 2020
How does prolactinoma develop?
A prolactinoma is a type of tumor that develops in the pituitary gland at the base of your brain. Prolactinoma is a noncancerous tumor of the pituitary gland. This tumor causes the pituitary to make too much of a hormone called prolactin.28 May 2020
Does macroprolactin need treatment?
Thus, there arises the need to differentiate between the apparent benign clinical condition of macroprolactinemia, that hyperprolactinemia is entirely explained by the presence of macroprolactin and the true hyperprolactinemia, which is due to increased levels of monomeric PRL and requires therapy.
What happens if you have macroprolactin?
Patients with macroprolactinemia usually have normal menstrual cycles, minimal galactor-rhea and spontaneous conception. However, some patients may present with clinical symptoms of hyperprolactinemia, if high levels of both macroprolactin and little PRL are present (10).
What is normal macroprolactin?
The reference ranges are: Total Prolactin: Male 58 - 419 mU/L. Female 63 516 mU/L. Post-PEG (bioactive monomeric prolactin): Male 32 309 mU/L.
What does negative macroprolactin mean?
When the fraction (percentage) of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-precipitated (complexed) prolactin is 60% or less of total prolactin, the specimen is considered negative for macroprolactin.
How is macroprolactin treated?
Macroprolactin can be resolved and separated from monomeric PRL by gel filtration. In routine practice, polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation has been used to separate macroprolactin from PRL monomers (only the latter is left in the supernatant after centrifugation).
Is prolactinoma serious?
Although prolactinoma isn't life-threatening, it can cause vision difficulties, infertility and other problems. Prolactinoma is the most common type of hormone-producing tumor that can develop in your pituitary gland.28 May 2020