Estimation of Serum Prolactin Level in Patients with Chronic Plaque Psoriasis and Their Association with Severity

Background: Psoriasis is a polygenic, common, chronic, proliferative, and inflammatory condition of the skin, in which both hereditary and environmental factors play a basic role. Prolactin may enhance both humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Prolactin receptors are presented on the immune cells: T- and B-lymphocytes. Serum prolactin level may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of psoriasis. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare serum prolactin levels in chronic plaque psoriatic patients with controls group and estimate correlation of their levels with disease severity. Materials and Methods: This case–control study was carried out in the dermatology department of Al-Najaf training center in Al-Sader Medical City, for the period from May 2020 to October 2021. A total of 40 patients (22 females and 18 males) with chronic plaque psoriasis and 40 controls (17 females and 23 males), older than 18 years, were subjected to investigations. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index was identified for the patients that fit the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and serum prolactin levels were measured for the fasting patients and controls in the morning. Results: This study found that there were no significant differences in serum prolactin levels between psoriasis patients (mean 12.98) and healthy control group (mean 12.45) ( P = 0.518). The mean differences in serum prolactin levels according to the severity of the disease showed no significant differences ( P = 0.166). Also, the correlation between prolactin levels with age ( P = 0.795) and duration of disease ( P = 0.461) among patients with psoriasis was nonsignificant. The mean differences in prolactin levels according to the sex, among patients with psoriasis were significant between females (14.36 ng/mL) and males (11.28 ng/mL) ( P < 0.004). Conclusions: This study showed that serum prolactin levels have no apparent role in pathogenesis of psoriasis disease and there was no correlation between serum prolactin levels with disease duration and severity.