Abstract
BackgroundTo investigate potential associations of serum prolactin concentration (PRL) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), previously observed in small and selected study samples, in a large population-based cohort.MethodsData from 3,993 individuals (2,027 women) aged 20-79 years from the population-based Study of Health of Pomerania (SHIP) were used to analyse cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of PRL with MetS and T2DM risk in age- and multivariable-adjusted Poisson regression models. PRL were log-transformed and modelled as continuous (per standard deviation (SD) increase) and categorical predictor (sex-specific quartiles) variable, separately for men and woman.ResultsCross-sectional analyses showed an inverse association between low PRL concentrations and prevalent T2DM risk in men and women after multivariable-adjustment (men: Q1 vs. Q4: relative risk (RR), 1.55; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13 – 2.14; women: Q1 vs. Q4: RR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.10 – 2.62). Likewise, higher PRL concentrations were associated with significantly lower T2DM risk (RR per SD increase in log-PRL: 0.83; 95% CI, 0.72 – 0.95 in men, and 0.84; 95% CI, 0.71 – 0.98 in women, respectively). An inverse association between PRL and MetS risk was not retained after multivariable adjustment. Longitudinal analyses yielded no association of PRL with incident MetS or T2DM.ConclusionThe present study is the first large population-based study reporting a cross-sectional inverse association between PRL and prevalent T2DM in both genders. But the absent longitudinal associations do not support a causal role of PRL as a risk factor of incident MetS or T2DM.
Highlights
To investigate potential associations of serum prolactin concentration (PRL) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), previously observed in small and selected study samples, in a large population-based cohort
We found that the average high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations produced by the two methods were virtually identical, suggesting that the differences in HDL will be small within the range of practical relevance [17]
Cross-sectional age-adjusted regression models showed an inverse association between PRL and MetS risk in women (Q1 vs. Q4: relative risk (RR), 1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04 – 1.66), but not in men (Q1 vs. Q4: RR, 1.15; 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), 0.97 – 1.37)
Summary
To investigate potential associations of serum prolactin concentration (PRL) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), previously observed in small and selected study samples, in a large population-based cohort. Prolactin (PRL) is a pituitary hormone essential for various physiological functions in the human body [1,2,3] It is important for the initiation and maintenance of lactation, but seems to be involved in reproduction, growth and development, osmoregulation, immune regulation, brain function, behaviour, and metabolism [1,2,3]. The ability of PRL to stimulate insulin [6] and suppress adiponectin as well as interleukin-6 release further suggests a potential role in the manifestation of insulin resistance [2] These studies support the view that PRL promotes the growth and survival of pancreatic ß-cells and supports insulin secretion [6,7], other studies were not able to detect any correlation between PRL and metabolic disturbances [10]
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