title: [Effect of transrectal prostatic biopsy on serum prostate specific antigen levels].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of transrectal prostatic biopsy (TPB) on the concentrations of serum prostate specific antigen (PSA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with abnormal PSA levels and/or digital rectal examination (DRE) underwent TPB. Serum PSA levels were measured before TPB and at 0.5 h, 1 week, 1 month after TPB, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum PSA levels before TPB and 0.5 h, 1 week, 1 month after TPB were (12.23 +/- 8.62), (34.90 +/- 41.53), (23.59 +/- 20.78) and (11.31 +/- 6.95) micrograms/L, respectively. The serum PSA concentration was significantly higher at 0.5 h after TPB than before (P < 0.05), and then gradually decreased. PSA levels remained higher for at least 1 week in 85% (17/20) patients(P < 0.05), then returned to the baseline at one month after TPB (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TPB can lead to a dramatic increase of PSA in serum and keep the PSA value high in one week. Then the PSA in serum decreased gradully. Serum PSA level cannot return to baseline until one month after TPB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China.
authors.forename: Ze-Qiao
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Li-Xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Li-Xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Hong-Fei
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology*; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen