Prevalence of hyperprolactinaemia in a naturalistic cohort of schizophrenia
and bipolar outpatients during treatment with typical and atypical antipsychotics
Chris Bushe1*
and
Michael Shaw2
1 Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Basingstoke, UK
2 Elmfield House MHRC, Halifax, UK
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
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Abstract |
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Hyperprolactinaemia is a common finding in patients treated with antipsychotics. A
complete cohort of 194 schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients receiving
antipsychotics in a single community mental health trust in Halifax UK underwent
routine prolactin screening in the absence of any relevant symptomatology. Values
above the upper limit of normal were measured in 38% of the cohort and
were more common in females (52%) than males (26%).
Significantly elevated levels (>1000mIU/L) were measured in 21% of
the cohort. Risperidone monotherapy treatment was associated with
hyperprolactinaemia in 69% of patients (n=35) and in
100% of female patients (n=16) and amisulpride
monotherapy in 100% (n=7). Prolactin screening is not
currently undertaken routinely in the UK. These data give some indication of
prevalence of varying degrees of hyperprolactinaemia that might be found when
screening an asymptomatic cohort of schizophrenia and bipolar outpatients.
Clinicians may be helped by the reporting of such categorical data from clinical
trials in addition to mean cohort values of prolactin. Long-term hyperprolactinaemia
may be associated with clinical sequelae in some patients.
Key Words:
prolactin, schizophrenia, hyperprolactinaemia, osteoporosis, antipsychotics
