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Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Povidone Iodine Rectal Preparation at Time of Prostate Needle Biopsy is a Simple and Reproducible Means to Reduce Risk of Procedural Infection
Published on: September 21, 2015
Effect of digital rectal examination on plasma prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
S Dutkiewicz1, K Stepień, A Witeska
1Department of Urology, Central Clinical Hospital, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Warsaw, Poland.
Unlabelled:
Presented are results of determination of plasma PSA before, 1 and 24 hours and 3 weeks after digital rectal examination (DRE) in 130 patients with prostatic adenoma (BPH). Mean pre-examination PSA level was 8.5 ng/ml (max. 27.0 ng/ml, min. 0.3 ng/ml, SD = 6.2). PSA rose at 1 and 24 hr. post-DRE: 9.4 ng/ml (max. 28.9 ng/ml, min. 0.5 ng/ml, SD = 6.7) and 10.7 ng/ml (max. 28.0 ng/ml, min. 0.5 ng/ml, SD = 7.9), respectively.
Conclusion:
in patients with prostatic adenoma DRE is followed by a rise in plasma PSA, which returns almost to baseline values by 3 weeks.

