Seminal plasma PSA in spinal cord injured men: a preliminary report.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of spinal cord injury on seminal plasma PSA concentration. Semen obtained from normal controls (n = 20) and patients (n = 16) with spinal cord injury. The concentration of prostate specific antigen in seminal plasma depended on the level of spinal cord injury, with significantly lower concentrations in patients with spinal cord lesions below T7 compared to both normal age-matched controls (P = 0.007) and patients with spinal cord injuries at or above T7 (P = 0.017). The results add to the previously reported observations of the possible impact of neurogenic stimulation on prostate activity. More studies of neurogenic stimulation in prostate growth and development are warranted to further elucidate the possible impact of neurogenic factors in the development of prostatic diseases.