title: Prostate-specific antigen levels in hypertensive patients suffering from a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction or a new-onset atrial fibrillation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increasing evidence suggests that prostate-specific antigen kallikrein (PSA) relates to the cardiovascular system. Recently, an association between PSA levels and aortic stiffness has been also reported in untreated essential hypertensive males. Elevated pulse pressure, a surrogate measure for increased proximal aortic stiffness, predisposes to myocardial infarction and atrial fibrillation. No studies, to date, have evaluated the relationship between PSA levels and the occurrence of AMI or new-onset atrial fibrillation in hypertensive male patients. Herein, we conducted a study to investigate this question.
  
  
  METHODS
  This work is a retrospective, observational, study. Consecutive male patients were enrolled and divided in two groups: 58 patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and 59 patients with new-onset atrial fibrillation. PSA levels gradually change with age and we prefer to use the percentage of age-specific PSA ranges (a.s. PSA) instead of the simple PSA levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At multivariate analysis DM [0.263 (0.105-0.662); P=0.005], dyslipidemia [0.301 (0.105-0.863); P=0.025] and a higher percentage of a.s. PSA [0.908 (0.895-0.970); P=0.000] were significantly associated with the occurrence of NSTEMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main results of this study showed that a higher percentage of a.s. PSA significantly relates with the occurrence of NSTEMI. In addition, the results of our investigation, also, demonstrate that the significant correlation between higher percentage of a.s. PSA and the occurrence of NSTEMI persisted after adjustment for traditional CAD risk factors (age, DM, dyslipidemia, and smoking). Large studies are needed to further confirm our findings and to elucidate the causes and effects.
authors.affiliation: Cardiologia Nuovo Presidio Ospedaliero Cutroni Zodda-Barcellona P.d.G(Me) Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale di Messina, Via Cattafi, 98051 Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, Messina, Italy. patane-@libero.it
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patanè
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen