Elevated levels of serum prolactin in patients with pituitary tumors have been associated with hypogonadism, frequently manifested in men as impotence and/or loss of libido.
Among 2,896 consecutive impotent patients investigated at Severance Hospital 208 (7.2%) patients had serum levels of prolactin greater than 30 ng/ml. Of the 208 patients 16 (7.7%) were diagnosed as pituitary tumor. The average age of 16 patietns
was
37.8 years and mean duration of erectile dysfunction was 4.2 years. The mean serum prolactin level was 238.14 ng/ml. 13 of these patients were treated with operation, two with bromocriptine, and one was lost. the mean duration of follow up was
2.4
years
(1 month-4.2 years). Of the eleven of thirteen who were able to follow up, six were combined with bromocriptine therapy and three were combined with bromocriptine and radiation therapy. Of the two who were managed with only bromocriptine, one was
improved after bromocriptine for four months and the other was bromocriptine, one was improved after bromocriptine for four months and the other was received penile prosthesis due to no improvement of symtpoms.
It is emphasized that pituitary tumor should be considered in the investigation of impotence of endocrine causes when marked hyperprolactinemia (specially greater than 100ng/ml) is noted.
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