title: [Prevalence of abnormal coagulation tests in patients who undergo transrectal biopsy of the prostate].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of abnormal coagulation tests in patients who undergo transrectal prostate biopsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed at Hospital Universitario del Valle (HUV) between 1 June and 31 December 2008. Variables collected included age, PSA value, PT (prothrombin time), PTT (partial thromboplastin time) and INR (international normalized ratio) values and the presence of abnormalities in each of the haematological variables. There are no real normal or maximum acceptable values in clinical practice; however, the values described by some authors and different clinical practice protocols serve as a guide.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age was 70 years, the median PSA was 28, the partial thromboplastin time was altered in 2.3% of patients, and INR was abnormal in 3.4% of patients (cut-off point 1.5). There were no changes in PT or INR values (cut-off point 2.0).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of abnormal coagulation tests is low even when there are no clear cut-off points in worldwide literature that would determine abnormality.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Urología, Hospital Universitario del Valle, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia. andresgarcia125@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Herney
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Andrés García
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gonzalo Estrada
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carbonell
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology*