ABSTRACT
Trauma of the head causes important changes in serum prolactin levels. Usually somatostatin has an inhibitory effect on the hormones. We do not know much about the effect of somatostatin on prolactin secretion. We examined 10 healthy men in the control group and their average level of basal prolactin was 3.39±1.51 ng/ml. After subcutaneous administration of 100 micrograms of octreotide acetate, serum prolactin levels were 5.29±4.59 ng/ml, 6.28±4.7 ng/ml and 3.56±2.25 ng/ml at the 30th, 60th and 120th minutes respectively. There was no significant change in the time related serum prolactin levels. The Average of basal prolactin levels in the comatose patients with head trauma was 12.4±3.43 ng/ml and these patients' basal prolactin levels were significantly higher than the control group (P<0.01). After the octreotide administration time-related serum prolactin levels were 8.5±4.4 ng/ml, 6.38±3.74 ng/ml and 7.23±2.98 ng/ml. at the 30th, 60th and 120th minutes respectively. After the octreotide administration the 60th minutes' and 120th minutes' serum prolactin levels of patients with traumatic coma were significantly lower than basal levels (P<0.01). We can say that somatostatin does not affect normal prolactin levels but depresses the increased prolactin levels. In conclusion: 1- In normal subjects octreotide acetate, which is a somatostatin analogue, is not effective on prolactin secretion. 2- The fact that prolactin secretion increases in traumatic comatose patients and the depression of this increment by octreotide provokes us to think that besides dopamine other hypothalamic hormones (GH,TRH,VIP and GRF depressed with octreotide) may also be responsible for the mentioned changes above.
Trauma of the head causes important changes in serum prolactin levels. Usually somatostatin has an inhibitory effect on the hormones. We do not know much about the effect of somatostatin on prolactin secretion. We examined 10 healthy men in the control group and their average level of basal prolactin was 3.39±1.51 ng/ml. After subcutaneous administration of 100 micrograms of octreotide acetate, serum prolactin levels were 5.29±4.59 ng/ml, 6.28±4.7 ng/ml and 3.56±2.25 ng/ml at the 30th, 60th and 120th minutes respectively. There was no significant change in the time related serum prolactin levels. The Average of basal prolactin levels in the comatose patients with head trauma was 12.4±3.43 ng/ml and these patients' basal prolactin levels were significantly higher than the control group (P<0.01). After the octreotide administration time-related serum prolactin levels were 8.5±4.4 ng/ml, 6.38±3.74 ng/ml and 7.23±2.98 ng/ml. at the 30th, 60th and 120th minutes respectively. After the octreotide administration the 60th minutes' and 120th minutes' serum prolactin levels of patients with traumatic coma were significantly lower than basal levels (P<0.01). We can say that somatostatin does not affect normal prolactin levels but depresses the increased prolactin levels. In conclusion: 1- In normal subjects octreotide acetate, which is a somatostatin analogue, is not effective on prolactin secretion. 2- The fact that prolactin secretion increases in traumatic comatose patients and the depression of this increment by octreotide provokes us to think that besides dopamine other hypothalamic hormones (GH,TRH,VIP and GRF depressed with octreotide) may also be responsible for the mentioned changes above.