Serum prolactin and gonadal hormones in hemodialysis women: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: A meta-analysis followed by PRISMA 2020 statement was performed aiming to present a whole prolactin and sex hormone profile in hemodialysis women. METHODS: Literatures were searched in PubMed, Cochrane library, Embase, and Web of science before March 11, 2023. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) was performed to test the conclusiveness of this meta-analysis. Egger’s test and trim-and-fill analysis was used to test publication bias. We took standardized mean difference (SMD) as pool effect of hormones values including prolactin (PRL), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E(2)) and progesterone (P). This study was registered in PROSPERO and the number was CRD42023394503. RESULTS: Twenty-two articles from 13 countries were analyzed. Combining the results of TSA and meta-analysis, we found that compared with healthy control, hemodialysis women had higher PRL, follicular FSH and LH values and lower P levels (PRL: I(2) = 87%, SMD 1.24, 95% CI: 0.79–1.69, p < 0.00001; FSH: I(2) = 0%, SMD 0.34, 95% CI: 0.13–0.55, p = 0.002; LH: I(2) = 39%, SMD 0.64, 95% CI: 0.34–0.93, p < 0.00001; P: I(2) = 30%, SMD − 1.62, 95% CI: -2.04 to -1.20, p < 0.00001). What’s more, compared with women after renal transplantation, hemodialysis women had higher PRL levels (I(2) = 0%, SMD 0.51, 95% CI: 0.25–0.78, p = 0.0001). There was not enough evidence to draw a conclusion on the comparison of hormones between regular and irregular menses hemodialysis women. Egger’s test and trim-and-fill analysis didn’t show significant publication bias. CONCLUSIONS: Hemodialysis women had higher serum PRL, follicular phase FSH, LH and lower serum P values compared with healthy control. PRL values of hemodialysis women were also higher than that of women after renal transplantation. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12902-023-01452-w.