Revolutionary introduction of RIA/IRMA methodology in medical diagnostics: a study employing the technique for hyperprolactinemia and its correlation with hypothyroidism

The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of hyperprolactinemia, its underlying causes and consequences, and to study its correlation with hypothyroidism. The study was carried out on 1365 male and female subjects referred to Centre for Nuclear Medicine Lahore for hormonal estimation. Serum Prolactin and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were measured using IRMA kits. Prevalence of hyperprolactinemia turned out to be 4.90%. Menstrual irregularity appeared as a major consequence. The incidence rate was the highest in the age range of 21-27 years. Hypothyroidism in hyperprolactinemic subjects was observed to be 22.7%. i) Immunoradiometric assay is a micro analytical technique which can measure very minute amount of the antigens in the serum. II) Prevalence of hypothyroidism in hyperprolactinemic subjects in our population is promising enough to estimate thyroid hormone levels in hyperprolactinemic patients. (author)