Comparative study of trace metal concentration in the diagnosis of category III prostatitis

Background Chronic prostatitis (CP) is one of the general diseases in daily diagnosis and treatment of urologists, especially category III prostatitis. Due to the lack of concrete causations, etiology and pathogenesis of chronic prostatitis, the diagnosis is still a distressful question for urologists. Method To investigate diagnostic potential of trace metals in this prostatitis, we performed analysis of concentration of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) and serum of patients with category III prostatitis and healthy controls, using flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS). Results Results showed contents of Zn, Ca and Mg in both serum and EPS samples of all subjects with category III prostatitis changed significantly compared to controls ( all P<0.05 ), while Cu level changed in all EPS samples ( P<0.000 ). In category IIIa prostatitis group, level of EPS Zn, Ca, Mg and serum Ca reduced significantly ( all P<0.000 ), while level of Zn in serum raised markedly ( P<0.000 ). In category IIIb prostatitis group, level of Zn, Ca, Mg in EPS decreased significantly ( all P<0.05 ), level of serum Ca, Mg were lessened visibly ( all P<0.000 ), EPS Cu level had an overt promotion ( P<0.05 ). Moreover , ROC analysis showed Mg and Zn/Mg level in EPS had better diagnostic value in category IIIa prostatitis ( AUC=0.796, 0.791, respectively, all P<0.0001 ); while in category IIIb prostatitis, Cu and Cu/Ca level had greater diagnostic value ( AUC=0.880, 0.901, respectively, all P<0.0001 ). Conclusion Summarily, concentration of Zn, Ca, Mg plays an important role in this prostatitis, of which level of Mg, Cu, Zn/Mg, Cu/Ca in EPS may have potential diagnostic value for category III prostatitis.