Diagnosis and Treatment of Hyperprolactinemia: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline

Objective: The aim was to formulate practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of hyperprolactinemia. Participants: The Task Force consisted of Endocrine Society-appointed experts, a methodologist, and a medical writer. Evidence: This evidence-based guideline was developed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system to describe both the strength of recommendations and the quality of evidence. Consensus Process: One group meeting, several conference calls, and e-mail communications enabled consensus. Committees and members of The Endocrine Society, The European Society of Endocrinology, and The Pituitary Society reviewed and commented on preliminary drafts of these guidelines. Conclusions: Practice guidelines are presented for diagnosis and treatment of patients with elevated prolactin levels. These include evidence-based approaches to assessing the cause of hyperprolactinemia, treating drug-induced hyperprolactinemia, and managing prolactinomas in nonpregnant and pregnant subjects. Indications and side effects of therapeutic agents for treating prolactinomas are also presented. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 96: 273-288, 2011)