La eyaculación no tiene impacto en los niveles de antígeno prostático específico

Background

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a tumor marker used in the diagnosis of prostate cancer; it is organ-specific but it is not disease-specific. The effect of ejaculation on PSA concentration is controversial.

Aim

To evaluate the impact of PSA values after ejaculation on biopsy indication in a screened population.

Methods

Baseline PSA was measured in 100 patients that had abstained from sexual activity for at least 7 days. A second measurement was carried out 48 h after ejaculation. The numerical differences were compared using the Student's t test. The McNemar's test was used to analyze pre and post-ejaculation values and clinical significance was defined as a PSA value above a pre-established limit for biopsy indication.

Results

Mean age of the patients was 52.7 ± 8.6 years. The mean baseline PSA was 1.39 ± 1.43 ng/mL and after ejaculation was 1.48 ± 1.51 ng/mL (P = .54). Two patients had PSA values that increased sufficiently for biopsy indication, using a parameter of 4 ng/mL after ejaculation. The McNemar's test showed no statistically significant differences (P = .500).

Conclusions

There was no statistically significant difference in PSA after ejaculation and this change had no clinical relevance.