Serum prolactin level in male type 2 diabetes mellitus patients at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, 2024

The anterior pituitary gland secretes the peptide hormone prolactin, which is important for lactation, reproductive health, and metabolic regulation. Its secretion is primarily regulated by dopamine and also its elevated level is known as hyperprolactinemia. The aim of this study was to assess serum prolactin level in T2DM patients at the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from June 27 to August 20, 2024 involving 330 study participants selected using systematic random sampling. Of these, 165 were male patients with T2DM and 165 were apparently healthy controls. Sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical data were measured by structured questionnaires. Hormonal parameters, Fasting blood sugar and lipid profiles were measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay and spectrophotometric principles respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and binary logistic regression were performed with significance set at p < 0.05. The prevalence of hyperprolactinemia was 9.1% in T2DM patients and 6.1% in the control group. A statistically significant difference in mean serum prolactin level was observed between T2DM and control group (7.79 ± 2.9 vs. 6.81 ± 3.1, p-value = 0.004) respectively. Hyperprolactinemia was more likely to occur in study individuals with high dietary diversity (AOR = 3.213, 95% CI: 1.253-8.239, P-value = 0.015). The incidence of hyperprolactinemia increases by 1.009 (95% CI: 1.001-1.018; P-value = 0.035) for every unit rise in FBS (1 mg/dl). In conclusion, the mean serum prolactin level was significantly higher among T2DM patients compared to healthy control groups. In addition, the prevalence of hyperprolactinemia was higher in T2DM patients than the control groups. Dietary diversity and elevated FBS were a significant predictors of hyperprolactinemia. So, the healthcare providers should consider routine screening of serum prolactin level in patients diagnosed with T2DM.