SERUM PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN (PSA);

Abstract

ABSTRACT… Objective: To study correlation between age-linked serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels in normal subjects andpatients of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and carcinoma prostate (CaP). Data source: OPDs. Study design: Case-control study.Setting: SIUT; Karachi Study duration: Six months. Methodology: 250 subjects were enrolled for the study and 93 were finally selected(31 each, representing the normal, BPH and CaP groups). Subjects 40 years of age and above were included and those with any urinarytract disorder or those under treatment with 5-á-reductase inhibitors were excluded. Each group was divided into four sub-groups of ages40 – 49, 50 – 59, 60 – 69 and 70 and above years. AxSYM total PSA (tPSA) assay® was used for serum PSA estimation. Values wereexpressed as mean and standard error of mean and Fischer’s test, students’ t test and correlation coefficient were used to determinesignificance and for comparison of data. Results: There was a no significant difference in PSA levels in all age groups when normals werecompared with BPH cases. PSA levels were significant in normal as compared to CaP cases and BPH as compared to CaP. Conclusions:No significant correlation between age-linked serum PSA levels in normal subjects and patients of BPH and CaP could be established. Thestudy, however, found a trend of declining PSA levels at the age of 70 years and above.