AIMSAND OBJECTIVE : To study the levels of serum prolactin and other bone markers in elderly patients with osteoporosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS : Elderly male and female patients who were screened for osteoporosis were selected for the study. They were grouped in to two groups. Apparently normal elderly subjects without osteoporosis were grouped as controls. Elderly patients who were diagnosed with osteoporosis were grouped as cases. Avalue for BMD > 2.5 SD lower than the young adult mean was diagnosed as osteoporosis based on ultrasound of os calcis. Blood samples were collected from them and serum calcium, serum phosphorus, serum alkaline phosphatase and serum prolactin were estimated.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The statistical significance of the study parameters were obtained from the corresponding p-value, which was arrived at using the student's t test .The correlation of serum prolactin with the other parameters of the study was arrived at using the Karl Pearson correlation coefficient

RESULTS: The samples were analyzed and their mean values determined. The mean levels of the analysed biochemical parameters were 10.08 ± 6.82ηg/ml for serum prolactin, 9.71 ± 0.731mg/dl for serum calcium, 3.91 ± 0.459mg/dl for serum phosphorus, 101.71 ± 14.69IU/L for serum alkaline phosphatase and -0.2 ± 0.77 for bone mineral density from apparently healthy elderly individuals and were considered as reference range for the study. It was found that serum prolactin levels were elevated above the reference range in patients with osteoporosis. (p value .001) Serum calcium and serum phosphorus were reduced below the reference range. Serum alkaline phosphatase was increased above the reference range.

CONCLUSION : Serum prolactin levels were elevated above the reference range in elderly patients with osteoporosis (p value < .001).