Reference Intervals of Prostate Health Index (PHI) in Healthy Men
For more specific prostate cancer screening, apart from prostate-specific antigen (PSA), its free fraction (fPSA) and one of its precursors, [-2]proPSA (p2PSA), are used today. From these parameters, the so-called Prostate Health Index (PHI) can be calculated. However, reference intervals for these parameters in a healthy population were not known until now.
Methodology
PHI is calculated from 3 parameters determined from blood, namely total PSA (tPSA), fPSA, and p2PSA: PHI = (p2PSA / fPSA × √tPSA). Chinese authors established reference intervals for PHI and also p2PSA in healthy men across 4 age categories: < 40 years, 40–49 years, 50–59 years, and ≥ 60 years. They used data obtained from April 2016 to March 2018 from 732 healthy men.
Results
The determined reference intervals are listed in the table. The authors point out the higher reference values in men aged 40–49 years compared with the other age groups.
|
Age Group |
Reference Interval for PHI |
Reference Interval for p2PSA (pg/ml) |
|
<40 years |
9.77–48.44 |
2.02–17.93 |
|
40–49 years |
9.85–65.28 |
2.08–19.02 |
|
50–59 years |
9.98–39.72 |
1.60–15.75 |
|
≥ 60 years |
8.16–40.76 |
1.28–15.15 |
|
All |
9.48–44.50 |
1.88–17.40 |
Conclusion
Reference intervals are crucial for the interpretation of clinical laboratory tests and patient care. Test results themselves have little meaning if the report does not include the appropriate reference interval or clinical decision limits. This study, published in August 2019, was according to the authors, probably the first work to establish reference intervals for p2PSA, %p2PSA, and PHI in a population of healthy men.
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Source: Wu Z. Y., Yang C., Luo J. et al. Establishment of reference intervals for serum [-2]proPSA (p2PSA), %p2PSA and Prostate Health Index in healthy men. Onco Targets Ther 2019 Aug 13; 12: 6453–6460, doi: 10.2147/OTT.S212340.
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