The Value Of EPS-Citrate Determination In The Differential Diagnosis Of ⅢA And ⅢB Prostatitis

Objective To investigate the relationship between expressed prostatic secretion citrate (EPS-citrate) and type Ⅲ prostatitis and the value of EPS-citrate determination in the differential diagnosis of ⅢA and ⅢB prostatitis.Methods Fifteen ⅢA type outpatients aged from 19-40, fifteen ⅢB type outpatients aged from 21-41 and 9 healthy men were included. All patients have not received any management. After massage, the EPS-pH was tested by pH special indicator paper, the EPS-WBC was counted under high power microscopy, and the EPS-citrate was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. All patients got their own CPSI. The EPS-citrate and EPS-pH between IIlA and IIIB groups were compared, and the correlation between EPS-citrate, EPS-pH, EPS-WBC and CPSI was performed.Results The accuracy of High Performance Liquid Chromatography for the determination of EPS-citrate can reach ng level. The EPS-citrate of ⅢA , ⅢB and control group was 3.42±0.91mg, 4.32±0.90mg, 8.65±1.38mg, repectively. The EPS-citrate of the control group was significantly higher than the ⅢA and ⅢB groups. The EPS-citrate of the ⅢB group was significantly higher than the ⅢA group. The EPS-pH of ⅢA and ⅢB groups was 6.85 ± 0.26 and 6.65 ±0.22, repectively; significant difference was observed between them (t = 2.27, P=0.031). Negative correlation was observed between EPS-WBC and EPS-citrate (P =0.031) as well as between EPS-citrate and EPS-pH (P =0.011) while it was positive correlation betweenEPS-WBC and EPS-pH (P =0.022) in III type prostatitis. As for CPSI, there was no significant difference between IIIA type outpatients and IIIB type outpatients, and there was also no correlation between CPSI and EPS-WBC, EPS-pH, EPS-citrate. Conclusions EPS-citrate was correlated with EPS-WBC and EPS-pH in III type prostatitis. Because of its significant difference between IIIA and IIIB prostatitis, EPS-citrate can be used for the differential diagnosis of IIIA and IIIB prostatitis. EPS-pH can also be considered as a method for the differential diagnosis of IIIA and IIIB prostatitis.