RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 288 Circulating prolactin level in systemic lupus erythematosus and its correlation with disease activity: a meta-analysis JF Lupus Science & Medicine JO Lupus Sci & Med FD Lupus Foundation of America SP A132 OP A132 DO 10.1136/lupus-2017-000215.288 VO 4 IS Suppl 1 A1 YH Lee A1 GG Song YR 2017 UL http://lupus.bmj.com/content/4/Suppl_1/A132.1.abstract AB Background and aims Prolactin has an immune stimulatory effect and may promote autoimmunity by encouraging the development of antigen presenting cells expressing MHC class II and co-stimulatory molecules and modulating IFN-γ secretion. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between circulating prolactin level and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to establish a correlation between plasma/serum prolactin levels and SLE activity.Methods We performed a meta-analysis comparing the plasma/serum prolactin levels in patients with SLE to controls, and examined correlation coefficients between circulating prolactin level and SLE disease activity.Results Twenty-five studies with a total of 1056 SLE patients and 426 controls were included. Prolactin levels were significantly higher overall in the SLE group than in the control group (SMD=0.987, 95% CI=0.512–1.463, p=4.7x10-5). Stratification by ethnicity showed significantly elevated prolactin levels in the SLE group in Asian, Latin American, and mixed populations (SMD=0.813, 95% CI=0.137–1.490, p=0.018; SMD=0.981, 95% CI=0.307–1.655, p=0.004; SMD=1.469, 95% CI=0.443–2.495, p=0.005, respectively), but not in the European population. Meta-analysis of correlation coefficients showed a significantly positive correlation between circulating prolactin level and SLE activity (Correlation coefficient=0.379, 95% CI=0.026–0.487, p=4.0x10-9).Conclusions Our meta-analysis demonstrated that circulating prolactin levels are higher in patients with SLE and that a significantly positive correlation exists between prolactin levels and SLE activity.