POSTEJACULATION SERUM PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN LEVEL

Objective: This study was carried out to determine whether ejaculation may modify the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level and to inv estigate whether postejaculation serum PSA may play a role in male hyp ofertility work-up. Methods: Serum PSA concentration was determined be fore and 1 h after ejaculation in 18 healthy men (group A) and in 16 m en with male-factor infertility (group B). PSA change (Delta) was reco rded and analyzed. Results: Postejaculation serum PSA differed signifi cantly from basal levels (p = 0.0037 by the Wilcoxon signed rank test) . Following ejaculation, a rise was noticed in 74% of subjects. The me dian relative change in PSA concentration was 54%. No difference in re spect to mean, median and relative change was observed between study g roups. In two cases (6%), PSA rose from normal level to more than 4 ng /ml. Conclusion: A significant postejaculation serum PSA elevation doe s occur, it is thus recommended that men abstain from ejaculation for 24 h prior to PSA sampling. Postejaculation PSA was not found to signi ficantly correlate with hypofertility.