Total and free PSA serum concentrations are not influenced by extensive physical exercise and bicycle riding

Prostate-specific antigen kinetics contributes to decision making for biopsy referral: the predictive implication for PSA retest in patients with elevated PSA levels

Background

It is common to repeat prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurements for men with PSA elevation before prostate biopsy. In this scenario, they may have considerable psychological distress in fear of the presence of cancer until retests. We assessed possible clinical factors causing transient PSA rise and explored the parameters predictive of subsequent PSA change.

Methods

As interfering conditions, the history of ejaculation, bicycling, and any types of infections were assessed using the questionnaire. The pattern of PSA change was compared in association with the various clinical factors. Predictive significance of PSA kinetics such as coefficient of variation (CV) and PSA velocity (PSAV) for PSA values at retest was evaluated.

Results

The rate of reversion to the normal range was 38.3% at retest. The rate of 12.8% of men showed a large increase by ≥20%, whereas 38.2% of men showed a large decline by ≥20% from the baseline. Men with younger age (≤60 years), small prostate (<20 cc), and prior history of ejaculation or infections showed significantly larger PSA decrease than their counterparts. Those with large CV or PSAV before the baseline more frequently showed PSA decrease below the age-specific cutoff or decline by ≥10% from the baseline at retest. These parameters associated with PSA kinetics had independent predictive values for relevant PSA change at retest.

Conclusions

Ejaculation and any types of infections should be avoided before PSA tests. Men with large PSA fluctuation before the baseline are likely to show a significant PSA decrease at retest. This predictive information may help both physicians to determine whether to proceed to an immediate biopsy and patients to reduce their psychological burden.

Effects of cycling and rowing on serum concentrations of prostate-specific antigen: A randomized study of 101 male subjects

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects if cycling and rowing on serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels.

METHODS

Male volunteers (n = 101), aged 20-80 (mean, 49.9) years were randomized to exercise at the first or second study visit. They performed 1 h of either cycling or rowing on a stationary machine. To determine exercise-induced effects on the PSA level, serum total PSA (tPSA) and free PSA (fPSA) concentrations were evaluated before and after exercise and another sampling was performed at the second study visit. Pre-exercise and postexercise tPSA and fPSA concentrations were compared using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs test. The results were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test.

RESULTS

A significant (p < 0.001) average increase in tPSA after exercise (1.14 ± 1.11 ng/ml to 1.24 ± 1.26 ng/ml [mean, +8.8%]) was observed after both cycling and rowing, without significant differences between the sports (p = 0.54). The exercise-induced increase in PSA concentration affected participants aged ≥50 years (difference, 0.16 ± 0.37; p < 0.001), but not those aged <50 years (difference, 0.01 ± 0.06; p = 0.23). The effect size was clinically irrelevant in all except two outliers, in whom a distinct increase of PSA level by averages of 1.80 ng/ml (+55%) for tPSA and 1.25 ng/ml (+227%) for fPSA following cycling was observed.

CONCLUSION

Rowing and cycling generally do not have a clinically relevant effect on PSA levels. However, outliers exist. Our findings do not support abstaining from exercise during the days approaching PSA sampling.

Urological issues in cyclists

Cycle use has grown rapidly over the last few years in the UK. British Cycling membership has increased threefold since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and this is likely to rise in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic. As urologists, day-to-day encounters with cyclists are commonplace, who may present with acute traumatic injuries or chronic overuse injuries. The aim of this literature review was to evaluate the effect of cycling on conditions presenting to the urology clinic, in particular those of raised prostate-specific antigen (PSA), haematuria and soft-tissue lesions (‘cyclist nodules’). Furthermore, the review aimed to summarize the relationship between cycling and pudendal nerve entrapment (PNE) syndromes. A PubMed search of the literature on cycling and genitourinary disorders was performed. The literature suggests no significant change in PSA levels after a bout of cycling. Age appears to have no effect on the change in PSA experienced following a bout of cycling, in particular when comparing those <50 years of age to those >50 years of age. Haematuria appears to be rare with cycling but has been described, even with stationary bike riding. It is imperative to exclude coexisting urinary-tract pathological conditions, and cycling-induced haematuria should always be considered a diagnosis of exclusion. Perineal nodular induration (‘cyclist nodules’) is a rare condition, related to pressure and repetitive micro-trauma between the perineum and saddle. Pudendal Nerve Entrapment (PNE) represents the most common bicycling-associated urogenital complaint. Numbness in the perineum, penis, scrotum or buttocks—‘genital numbness’—is the most common and most recognized symptom of pudendal compression. Despite several studies demonstrating a link between elite cyclists and erectile dysfunction, for the average cyclist riding may actually have a protective effect on sexual function.

Exertional hematuria: definition, epidemiology, diagnostic and clinical considerations

Exertional hematuria can be considered a subcategory of exercise-induced hematuria, characterized by painless appearance of erythrocytes in urine after recent physical exercise, not directly attributable to external traumatic injuries to the genitourinary system, and spontaneously resolving with rest. Although its frequency has enormous heterogeneity, depending on the athlete population, duration and intensity of exercise, technique used for identifying or quantifying hematuria and relative diagnostic thresholds, what clearly emerges from the scientific literature is that a certain degree of hematuria is commonplace after non-contact sports, especially running. This exertional hematuria, which appears self-limiting, may be attributable to some frequently concomitant causes, involving organs of the genitourinary system, and mostly encompassing bladder or urethral injuries. Renal injuries caused by internal movements, vascular spasm and ischemia are also potential causes of increased glomerular permeability to erythrocytes, whilst the presence of preexisting genitourinary diseases cannot be ruled out, especially when post-exercise hematuria is recurrent or endures. Therefore, whenever hematuria is observed in a random urine specimen, recent sports performance (especially running) should be investigated and urinalyses scheduled for the following days. When no temporal association of hematuria with exercise can be found, when genitourinary traumas have been excluded or hematuria persists for >72 h, specific diagnostic investigations should be planned to identify possible genitourinary diseases.

The Impact of Intense Exercise on Semen Quality

With expanding knowledge on the health benefits of exercise, there is an increasing demand for information on the andrological consequences of participating in sports. These consequences are especially important in the context of infertility problems worldwide. The so-called “male factor” is reported in up to 50% of couples having trouble with conception. The answer to the question, “Is physical activity good for male reproductive health?” is not straightforward. A number of studies have suggested that significant changes in semen parameters may occur due to sports training of certain types, intensities, and durations. The changes to these parameters vary in scope, direction, and magnitude. Findings in recreational athletes have also differed from those in professional athletes. This review of the current literature suggests that intense physical activity may affect the semen concentration, as well as the number of motile and morphologically normal spermatozoa. Training at higher intensities and with increased loads seems to be associated with more profound changes in semen quality. In recreational athletes, exercise has either a positive or neutral effect on semen parameters. Due to many limitations (e.g., global sperm count trends, concerns about the quality control of sperm evaluations, and new standards for semen analysis), comparisons among historical data and their interpretation are difficult.

Long distance bicycle riding causes prostate-specific antigen to increase in men aged 50 years and over

Objectives

To investigate whether bicycle riding alters total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA) serum concentrations in healthy older men.

Methods

129 male participants, ranging in age from 50 to 71 years (mean 55 years), rode in a recreational group bicycle ride of between 55 and 160 kilometers. Blood samples for tPSA analysis were drawn within 60 minutes before starting, and within 5 minutes after completing the ride. The pre-cycling and post-cycling tPSA values were log transformed for normality and compared using paired t-tests. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between changes in tPSA with age and distance cycled.

Results

Bicycle riding caused tPSA to increase by an average of 9.5% (95% CI = 6.1–12.9; p<0.001) or 0.23 ng/ml. The number of participants with an elevated tPSA (using the standard PSA normal range cut-off of 4.0 ng/ml) increased from two pre-cycle to six post-cycle (or from five to eight when using age-based normal ranges). Univariate linear regression analysis revealed that the change in tPSA was positively correlated with age and the distance cycled.

Conclusions

Cycling causes an average 9.5% increase in tPSA, in healthy male cyclists ≥50 years old, when measured within 5 minutes post cycling. We considered the increase clinically significant as the number of participants with an elevated PSA, according to established cut-offs, increased post-ride. Based on the research published to date, the authors suggest a 24–48 hour period of abstinence from cycling and ejaculation before a PSA test, to avoid spurious results.

[Influencing of the PSA concentration in serum by physical exercise (especially bicycle riding)]

BACKGROUND

Sports and in particular cycling are assumed to influence PSA in serum. Controversial scientific results were the motivation to examine the influence of a standardized test on a cycling ergometer and a treadmill on PSA concentrations in elderly men with elevated PSA levels and a benign prostate hyperplasia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 21 male volunteers (aged 61 ± 5 years, tPSA 7.7 ± 3.0 ng/ml and benign prostate hyperplasia with a prostate volume of 54 ± 18 ml) performed a 1 h cycling test on a cycling ergometer. A subgroup of 15 volunteers also performed a 1 h test on a treadmill. Blood samples were drawn before and several times after the cycling stress test up to 7 days afterwards (up to 120 min after the test on the treadmill) to determine total PSA (tPSA), complexed PSA (cPSA) and free PSA (fPSA).

RESULTS

The average increase in tPSA of 1.9 ± 1.7 ng/ml (25%) after the cycling exercise test was significant. After the treadmill exercise the PSA increase was not as high, but with 1.0 ± 1.0 ng/ml (12%) was also significant. On average the levels of PSA returned to the basic level 48 h after the cycling test, but in individual cases it took longer. fPSA showed the most noticeable increase after cycling with 92% on average. There was no correlation between increase in PSA and prostate volume.

CONCLUSIONS

Men should abstain from physical exercise, especially from cycling for several days and at least for 24 h before PSA measurements are carried out. This applies to patients with elevated PSA levels (>4 ng/ml) when a PSA follow-up is being carried out.

Does bicycle riding impact the development of lower urinary tract symptoms and sexual dysfunction in men?

Purpose

This study was designed to determine whether men who engaged in recreational bicycle riding are more likely to be affected by lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and sexual dysfunction than are man who exercised by amateur marathon running with less perineal impact.

Materials and Methods

A total of 22 healthy male amateur bicyclists and 17 healthy male amateur marathoners were enrolled in the study. We evaluated questionnaires including the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), uroflowmetric values, postvoid residual (PVR) urine volume, and transrectal ultrasound of the prostate in all subjects. We also compared the prevalence of urination disorders (UD) and erectile dysfunction (ED).

Results

There were no significant differences between the two groups in age, body mass index, comorbidities, or exercise habits (p>0.05). Mean total and subscale scores of the IPSS and IIEF and the prevalence of UD (8/22 vs. 4/17, p=0.494) and ED (11/22 vs. 10/17, p=0.748) were not significantly different between the two groups. Also, there were no significant differences between the two groups in uroflowmetric parameters such as peak urinary flow rates, voided urine volume, PVR urine volume, prostate volume, or serum PSA level.

Conclusions

Bicycle riding seems to have no measurable hazardous effect on voiding function or sexual function in men who cycled recreationally.

Associations of lifestyle and physiologic factors with prostate-specific antigen concentrations: evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2004)

Studies suggest inverse associations between obesity and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). However, there is little evidence whether factors related to obesity, including lifestyle (diet and physical activity) and physiologic factors (insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome), influence PSA. We used dietary, physical activity, and serum PSA, insulin, glucose, and lipid data for men >40 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2004; N = 2,548). Energy, fat, and carbohydrate intakes were estimated from a 24-hour dietary recall. Men were considered as having metabolic syndrome based on the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Leisure-time physical activity and doctor-diagnosed hypertension were self-reported. Body mass index was calculated from measured weight and height. We computed the geometric mean PSA (ng/mL), adjusted for age, race, and body mass index, by tertile of energy, fat, and carbohydrate intake and level of physical activity, and among men with and without insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in the whole population and by race. The geometric mean PSA (95% confidence interval) among men in the lowest tertile of energy was 1.05 (0.97-1.1) relative to 0.85 (0.8-0.9) in the highest tertile (P = 0.0002) in the whole population. The PSA concentrations were lower among overweight men with higher versus lower energy intake (P = 0.001). The PSA concentrations in men with insulin resistance was lower [0.87 (0.8-0.9)] relative to men without insulin resistance [0.98 (0.9-1.1)] at P = 0.04. All associations were in similar directions within racial subgroups. No associations were observed between the other lifestyle and physiologic factors. Additional studies are required to confirm these results and to investigate the potential mechanisms that may explain these relationships.

Chronic Hypoxia, Physical Exercise and PSA: Correlation during High-Altitude Trekking (2004 K2 Expedition)

The aim of the present study was to identify the effects of physical exercise on PSA serum levels and the diagnostic validity of PSA in the screening of prostate cancer in subjects undergoing physical exercise during chronic hypoxia. The study was performed during trekking between 3,200 and 5,600 meters of altitude on K2 mountain for 26 days. Mean serum PSA values before and after exposure did not show significant difference due to physical exercise. These data indicate that physical exercise or mountain hypoxia do not affect the diagnostic validity of PSA.