Prevalence of hyperprolactinemia in polycystic ovary syndrome and its clinical correlates

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 5-10% of women of reproductive age. Hyperprolactinemia may co-exist with PCOS due to hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction or relative hyperestrogenemia, but the association remains unclear. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 110 women diagnosed with PCOS using Rotterdam criteria. Serum prolactin levels were assessed and correlated with body mass index (BMI), age, menstrual irregularities, and hyperandrogenic features. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 24. Results: The mean age of participants was 24.05±5.17 years, and mean BMI was 24.63±3.13 kg/m². Hyperprolactinemia (prolactin >25 ng/ml) was found in 57.27% of PCOS patients, with a mean prolactin level of 29.61±16.55 ng/ml. Serum prolactin showed a significant positive correlation with BMI (p=0.0022) and age (p=0.0009). Among hyperandrogenic features, alopecia was significantly associated with hyperprolactinemia (p=0.0231). Oligomenorrhea/amenorrhea was present in 56.57% of those with hyperprolactinemia, but without statistical significance (p=0.8267). Conclusions: Hyperprolactinemia was prevalent in over half of PCOS patients and correlated positively with BMI and age. Alopecia showed a significant association with elevated prolactin levels. These findings highlight the importance of screening for hyperprolactinemia in PCOS and call for further research into its pathophysiological role.