Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD

Educational Pearls:

• Serum prolactin levels can be used to help differentiate epileptic seizures from non-epileptic seizures
• It is also released and elevated after epileptic seizures but not non-epileptic seizures
• A level must be checked 10-20 minutes after the episode and if possible a next day level should be checked to establish a baseline
• Levels can also be raised after a syncopal event
• Not the most useful ED also due to the long turn around time
• EEG will remain superior for now

References

Nass RD, Sassen R, Elger CE, Surges R. The role of postictal laboratory blood analyses in the diagnosis and prognosis of seizures. Seizure. 2017 Apr;47:51-65. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2017.02.013. Epub 2017 Feb 27. PMID: 28288363.

Chen DK, So YT, Fisher RS; Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Use of serum prolactin in diagnosing epileptic seizures: report of the Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2005 Sep 13;65(5):668-75. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000178391.96957.d0. PMID: 16157897.

Summarized by Jackson Roos, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD

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