Effect of ejaculation on Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen concentration.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Andrology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a key biomarker in prostate cancer screening and diagnosis.
• Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common in men, and PSA levels are often monitored.
• The impact of ejaculation on PSA levels requires careful consideration in clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of ejaculation on serum total PSA (tPSA), free PSA (fPSA), and complexed PSA (cPSA) concentrations.
• To determine if ejaculation influences PSA levels in men with LUTS.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 98 men (62 in the study group, 36 controls) with LUTS.
• Baseline PSA measurements after three days of sexual abstinence.
• Serial measurements of tPSA, fPSA, and cPSA at 1, 5, 24, and 72 hours post-ejaculation in the study group.
• Control group underwent PSA sampling at the same intervals without ejaculation.

Main Results:

• Ejaculation led to statistically significant increases in tPSA and fPSA levels (p=0.016, p=0.0003).
• No significant changes were observed in cPSA levels or the f/tPSA ratio (p=0.176, p=0.173).
• No significant PSA changes occurred in the control group.

Conclusions:

• Ejaculation transiently elevates tPSA and fPSA, but not cPSA or the f/tPSA ratio.
• Recent ejaculation may impact the interpretation of PSA levels near biopsy cutoffs.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of PSA alterations post-ejaculation.