Total PSA and free PSA in patients with severe liver dysfunction

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of liver diseases in patients, on serum free prostate specific antigen (JPSA) levels, total prostate specific antigen (tPSA) levels and fPSA/tPSA ratios. Methods: Serum concentrations of total and free as well as JPSA/tPSA were determined in 20 men with histologi-cally confirmed liver cirrhosis, 15 men with chronic hepa-titis and 20 healthy men. Results: The serum levels of total PSA in liver cirrhosis as well as in chronic hepatitis were significantly lower than those observed in control. Free PSA remained unchanged. Conclusions: Our study suggests that despite severe liver dysfunction the tPSA, fPSA as well as the ratio of fPSA/ tPSA were not elevated as it was hypothesized that liver impairment might affect the PSA levels, as liver is a site for PSA metabolism.

Keywords

• Total PSA
• free PSA
• liver cirrhosis. chronic hepatitis.