# Increase in serum prolactin levels as a potential biomarker in Crohn’s disease: a prospective cohort study

## TL;DR

This study suggests that higher prolactin levels in blood could be a new biomarker for tracking Crohn’s disease severity and treatment response.

## Contribution

The study identifies elevated serum prolactin as a potential biomarker for Crohn’s disease activity and treatment response.

## Key findings

- CD patients had significantly higher serum prolactin levels compared to healthy controls.
- Higher baseline prolactin levels correlated with a greater reduction in CRP after treatment.

## Abstract

Crohn’s disease (CD) management lacks biomarkers that precisely reflect immune activity. Prolactin (PRL) has immunomodulatory functions, but its role in CD is unclear.

To investigate serum PRL changes in CD patients and evaluate its potential as a biomarker for disease activity and treatment response.

In a prospective cohort study, serum PRL levels were analyzed in 185 CD patients and 58 healthy controls, and correlated with clinical markers (CRP, FC).

Serum PRL levels were significantly higher in CD patients versus controls (p<0.001). Higher baseline PRL levels correlated with a greater reduction in CRP after treatment. The study population had no previous reproductive history.

Elevated serum PRL may serve as a supplementary biomarker reflecting immune dysregulation and disease activity in CD, particularly in this cohort enriched with severe, perianal-dominant disease. Its role in evaluating therapeutic effectiveness warrants further investigation.