Abstract
In view of the structural or functional relationships of prolactin (hPR) with other pituitary hormones, its secretory response to TRH was investigated in normal prepubertal children and in children suffering from hypothalamic or pituitary disturbances. hPR was measured by a double-antibody radioimmunoassay using reagents donated by the NIAMD. In ten normal prepubertal children (5 boys, 5 girls) aged 4 to 11 years, the mean basal level was 29,3 ng/ml (range 12–50). The maximal response to TRH was observed 10 or 20 mn after the IV injection of 200 μg/m2 and the mean increment was 42 ng/ml (range 7–78) or 184% of the basal level (range 16–442). In 4 children with hypersecretion of TSH due to primary hypothyroidism, the hPR response to TRH was not significantly different from normal. In 2 children who had undergone surgery for cerebral tumours and whose hGH secretion was deficient, the basal levels and TRH responses of hPR were within normal limits. In 2 others, the pre- and post-stimulatory levels of hPR were steadily higher than 200 ng/ml. Thus in GH deficient children, hPR secretion may be normal in spite of their structural relationship. The considerably high hPR levels observed in some prepubertal children after surgery for cerebral tumours may be important with respect to their pubertal development.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roger, M., Soldat, MC. & Toublanc, JE. PROLACTIN RESPONSE TO TRH IN PREPUBERTAL CHILDREN. Pediatr Res 9, 673 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197508000-00054
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197508000-00054