Endotoxins in the prostatic secretions of chronic prostatitis patients.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical significance of the quantitative determinations of endotoxins in the expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) of chronic prostatitis (CP) patients.


METHODS
The EPS of 45 patients with CP and 15 normal volunteers were obtained for microscopic examination, bacterial culture and endotoxin determination. The level of endotoxins was determined by the Limulus-amebocyte-lysate test with chromogenic substrate.


RESULTS
Patients with CP had higher mean levels of endotoxins in EPS than normal volunteers [52.06 +/- 32.83 EU/L vs. 4.77 +/- 4.14 EU/L (P <0.05)]. The levels of endotoxins in CP type II, type IIIa and type IIIb were 68.62 +/- 34.78 EU/L, 45.30 +/- 23.33 EU/L and 15.83 +/- 5.31 EU/L, respectively [type II vs. type IIIa (P >0.05), type IIIb vs. normal controls (P <0.05), type II/type IIIa vs. normal controls P >0.05)].


CONCLUSIONS
CP patients have elevated levels of endotoxins in the EPS, which suggests that inflammation is a feature of this disease. EPS endotoxin determination is not only helpful in diagnostic confirmation, but also in evaluating the response to treatment in CP patients.
Dai
Yu-Ping
YP
Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhongshan University, 78 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Sun
Xiang-Zhou
XZ
Zheng
Ke-Li
KL
D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000378:metabolism*; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004731:Endotoxins