Volume : IX, Issue : III, March - 2019

Prostate specific antigen testing in a tertiary teaching hospital

Donovan Mcgrowder, Dwayne Tucker, Fabian Miller

Abstract :

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is a major global health concern that disproportionately affects Blacks with increasing incidence in Afro–Caribbean men. Not surprisingly, it is the leading cause of cancer–related deaths in Jamaica. Jamaican clinicians have used prostate specific antigen (PSA) for nearly three decades to aid screening and monitoring of prostate cancer, but concerns regarding its specificity and usefulness exist. METHOD: This study examined the pattern of total prostate specific antigen (TPSA) test requests by clinicians at a tertiary hospital, University of the West Indies (UHWI) in Jamaica during a two–year period. It also analysed the distribution of the results by age as well as the proportion of men with repeated requests. Data from 2,550 TPSA requests was extracted from the laboratory information system (LIS) and carefully analysed. RESULTS: The audit revealed that 69.4% of TPSA requests were sent from outpatient departments (Accident and Emergency as well as clinics appointments) at UHWI. The 61–70 age–group had the most TPSA requests and was most recurring amongst patients with single request. In assessing repeated requests, complete identifying information (DOB/ age, registration number and full name) was available for 2,468 of the total requests received. Of this number, less than 20% of patients had repeated requests (11.4% had two requests and 7.9% had three or more requests). The 61–70 age group was most common when the first test was performed in patients with multiple requests (40.0% for two requests and 37.7% for three or more requests). TPSA levels showed that whilst majority of TPSA levels was normal (<4.0ng/ml), there were 92 requests with levels >400 ng/ml. TPSA levels at first request showed that 51.0% of patients with two requests had normal results. Of patients with three of more requests, only 43.5% had normal TPSA levels at the first time the test was performed. CONCLUSION: The study provided information as to the patterns of TPSA requests at a tertiary hospital in Jamaica.

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijar  

Cite This Article:

PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN TESTING IN A TERTIARY TEACHING HOSPITAL, Donovan McGrowder, Dwayne Tucker, Fabian Miller INDIAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH : Volume-9 | Issue-3 | March-2019

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