Overview of prolactin levels in patients with schizophrenia during antipsychotic therapy at HB. Saanin Mental Hospital Padang, Indonesia

Background: Schizophrenia, which affects about 0.85% of people worldwide, is the most common illness among psychotic
disorders. Antipsychotic drugs have been a mainstay of schizophrenia treatment. Antipsychotics are now the most typical factor causing increased prolactin levels (hyperprolactinemia). This research aimed to determine the overview of prolactin levels in patients with schizophrenia that receive antipsychotic therapy at HB. Saanin Mental Hospital Padang.
Methods: This descriptive research included 50 patients with schizophrenia at HB. Saanin Mental Hospital Padang in July-
December 2020. It was conducted using the ELISA test method to analyze prolactin levels. Data were analyzed using SPSS
version 20.0 for Windows.
Results: From a total sample of 50 patients, the research subject characteristics were as follows, the mean age of the
research subjects was 39.48±12.53 years old, most were male (68.0%), and the most used antipsychotics given were second-
generation antipsychotics (Atypical) (64%). The prolactin level among the research subjects was 30.20 ng/mL (CI 95% 25.18-36.31). It indicates that the average prolactin level in the research subjects is higher than the normal prolactin level, which is 5-25 ng/mL. The research results showed that females have a significant higher average prolactin level than males (p<0.05). However, the use of typical, atypical, and combination antipsychotics do not show significant differences between groups (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Patients with schizophrenia at HB. Saanin Mental Hospital Padang, who became the research respondents and
consumed antipsychotics, has higher prolactin levels than average.