Faculty Collaboration Database

Serum prolactin levels and neonatal seizures. Epilepsia 1995 Apr;36(4):349-54

Date

04/01/1995

Pubmed ID

7607112

DOI

10.1111/j.1528-1157.1995.tb01008.x

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0028969807 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   8 Citations

Abstract

To assess the effects of neonatal seizures on the hypothalamus and to test clinical use of prolactin as a neonatal seizure marker, we studied postictal and recovery baseline serum prolactin levels in 19 neonates whose seizures were classified according to their clinical and EEG features. Postictal prolactin levels were obtained 30 min after the seizure, and recovery levels were ascertained 2-4 days later. The ratio of postictal prolactin level to recovery baseline level (prolactin ratio) was used as an indicator of postictal prolactin increase. The specificity and sensitivity of a prolactin ratio of > 2 was compared with the current standard of diagnosis (seizure discharges recorded by ictal EEG). Infants with electroclinical seizures had significantly higher prolactin ratios than control infants or infants with seizures without EEG correlation. Marked prolactin increases were noted only in infants with focal tonic seizures and temporal electrode involvement. A prolactin ratio of > 2 had a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 40%. We conclude that neonatal seizures have variable effects on the hypothalamus and that the low sensitivity and the need to await recovery levels limit the clinical value of prolactin ratio as a neonatal seizure marker.

Author List

Morales A, Bass NE, Verhulst SJ

Author

Nancy Bass MD Professor in the Neurology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Biomarkers
Diagnosis, Differential
Electroencephalography
Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic
Female
Humans
Hyperprolactinemia
Hypothalamus
Infant, Newborn
Male
Prolactin
Seizures
Sensitivity and Specificity