Prolactinaemia
Emergency referrals
Phone on call Diabetic and Endocrinology Registrar via:
- Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital switch - (07) 3646 8111
- The Prince Charles Hospital switch - (07) 3139 4000
- Redcliffe Hospital switch – (07) 3883 7777
- Caboolture Hospital switch – (07) 5433 8888
and send patient to the Department of Emergency Medicine (DEM) at their nearest hospital.
Does your patient wish to be referred?
Minimum referral criteria
Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?
Category 1
Appointment within 30 days is desirable
- Pathological headaches with large (>10mm) pituitary mass
- Serum prolactin >x10 upper limit of normal range
Category 2
Appointment within 90 days is desirable
- All other cases of hyperprolactinaemia
Category 3
Appointment within 365 days is desirable
- No category 3 criteria
If your patient does not meet the minimum referral criteria
Consider other treatment pathways or an alternative diagnosis.
If you still need to refer your patient:
- Please explain why (e.g. warning signs or symptoms, clinical modifiers, uncertain about diagnosis, etc.)
- Please note that your referral may not be accepted or may be redirected to another service
Other useful information for referring practitioners
- Refer to local Healthpathways or local guidelines
- Withdraw any drugs likely to elevate serum prolactin if possible
- If patient is not clearly symptomatic, repeat serum prolactin and ask for macroprolactin (a variant of prolactin which is inactive) level
- Pituitary MRI scan only if serum prolactin after macroprolactin adjustment is at least x 4 upper limit normal off relevant drugs or above upper limit normal and headache or neurological signs, pathological menstrual disturbance, galactorrhea or male androgen deficiency is present. In other cases, MRI may be performed if needed by the endocrine unit.
- If pituitary mass detected then assess the rest of the anterior pituitary function with morning (08:00 – 09:00) cortisol, ACTH, TSH, T4, IGF1
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
Send referral
Hotline: 1300 364 938
Fax: 1300 364 952
Electronic: eReferral system
Mail: Metro North Central Patient Intake
Aspley Community Centre
776 Zillmere Road
ASPLEY QLD 4034
Health pathways
Access to Health Pathways is free for clinicians in Metro North Brisbane.
For login details email:
healthpathways
Login to Brisbane North Health Pathways:
brisbanenorth.