Assessment of Prostate Volume and Prostate Specific Antigen Among Apparently Healthy Adult Males in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

ABSTRACT This study was aimed at establishing a relationship between prostate volume (PV) and prostate specific antigen (PSA).This was a cross-sectional survey design involving 500 asymptomatic male subjects aged 30-45 years in Port Harcourt, South-South, Nigeria between January, 2014 and October, 2015. This was conducted with a view to establish the basis for inferences when screening the populations for benign prostatic hyperplasia and other prostatic pathologies such as prostatitis and prostate carcinoma. Subjects were recruited prospectively and a digital rectal examination (DRE) was performed to exclude potential obstructing masses and to determine the appropriate angle for probe insertion to lessen the discomfort of the patient. They were subsequently scanned trans-rectally in a left lateral decubitus position with knees flexed. Prostate Specific Antigen of subjects was assessed with Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit utilising the Quantitative Sandwich Immunoassay technique at Image Diagnostics, Port Harcourt Nigeria. The mean prostatic volume was 19.47+7.9 cm3 . A good correlation was found between PV and PSA ( r = 0.5; p = 0.000) while the relationship was very weak with age (r = 0.05,p = 0.31) and very good with Body Mass Index (r = 0.01;p = 0.80). A coefficient of determination, R2 of 22.9% was derived from regression analysis (y = 0.031x + 0.894). A nomogram of prostate volume across various age groups was established.