Suppression of serum prolactin levels after an oral glucose tolerance test in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

In order to assess if an oral glucose load has any effect on serum prolactin levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed in 30 patients with PCOS and 20 controls, with normal or abnormal body mass index (BMI). OGTT resulted in decreased prolactin levels, being significant only in patients with PCOS and in controls with normal BMI. Our results show that obesity is an important inhibiting factor of serum prolactin level suppression which occurs with a mild suppressive test, as the OGTT; however, hyperandrogenemia may also play an inhibiting role in serum prolactin level suppression.