Objective: To determine if antinuclear antibody seropositivity in girls with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is associated with elevated serum levels of the anterior pituitary hormone prolactin.
Methods: Nineteen premenarchal girls meeting ACR classification criteria for JRA were evaluated for disease activity, antinuclear antibodies (ANA) seropositivity, and serum concentrations of prolactin, estrogen, and thyroid stimulating hormone.
Results: The mean serum prolactin concentration of ANA seropositive patients with JRA (10.9 +/- 1.9 micrograms/l) was significantly higher than that for ANA negative patients (5.7 +/- 1.0 micrograms/l; p = 0.043) and an age matched control group (5.8 +/- 1.3 micrograms/l; p = 0.048).
Conclusion: Children with ANA seropositive JRA have elevated serum levels of the immunostimulatory hormone prolactin.