Macroprolactinemia in patients with hyperprolactinemia: an experience from a single tertiary center.

Macroprolactinemia frequently causes misdiagnosis, unnecessary investigation and inappropriate treatment in hyperprolactinemic patients. Aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of Thai patients with macroprolactinemia. We performed a cross-sectional study in 56 hyperprolactinemic patients (51 women and 5 men) whose sera were subsequently tested for the presence of macroprolactin.

Microalbuminuria--a biomarker of renal microvascular disease.

Microalbuminuria (amount greater than 30-300 mg/day) reflects an abnormal glomerular capillary permeability to protein. It is usually dependent upon three mechanisms. First, loss of negatively charged surface of the glomerular capillary wall secondary to circulating toxic substances injury-namely, oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokines-allows the albumin with negatively charged surface to freely escape into the urine.

Normal reference range of serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I in healthy Thai adults.

Background: Serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I level is growth hormone (GH) dependent and reflects GH secretion. Analysis of IGF-I is a component in the diagnosis of GH-related disorders and is going to be of interest in determining the risk of many disorders such as cancer or atherosclerosis. The diagnosis value of IGF-I is dependent on the establishment of an accurate reference ranges, which can be affected by parameters such as age, gender, ethnicity, medications, chronic illness, or assay methodologies.