Prolactin serum blood levels in patients on antipsychotic treatment: A prevalence study

Abstract

Introduction:High prolactin blood levels is an adverse effect of neuroleptic treatment. Typical antipsychotics seem to produce it more frequently than atypical ones.Aim:To know hyperprolactinemia prevalence in our patients related with the type of antipsychotic drug used.Sample:171 individuals, 31 male patients and 140 female ones, with a mean age of 61,67 years old and a mean hospital stay of 18,20 years.Methods:The sample was divided in three groups:– Typical antipsychotics group: 37 patients.– Atypical antipsychotics group: 92 patients.– Typical and atypical antipsychotics group: 42 patients.Prolactin serum levels were determined (normal values: 1.5-25 ng/ml for fertile age women, 0.7-20 ng/ml for post-menopause women and 0-20 ng/ml for men).Prevalence of hyperprolactinemia for every group, for single antipsychotic drugs, for age groups, for gender and for diagnosis were obtained.Results:Prevalence of hyperprolactinemia was 66.1% for the global sample. Results for the different groups were the following:– Typical antipsychotics group: 73.0%– Atypical antipsychotics group: 60.9%– Typical and atypical antipsychotics group: 71.4%Statistical analysis according to concrete antipsychotic drug showed the following hyperprolactinemia percentages:– Risperidone: 90.0%– Haloperidol: 69.2%– Olanzapine: 44.4%– Quetiapine: 33%– Aripiprazol: 14.3%– Clozapine: 11.1%Conclussions:Our study finds lower hyperprolactinemia blood levels in patients on atypical antipsychotic treatment than on typical antipsychotic one. Haloperidol and risperidone got the worst results in this matter while clozapine and aripiprazol showed the best ones.