Serum half life of prostatic acid phosphatase.

Traumatic manipulation of the prostate can cause elevated prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) values. To avoid falsely elevated PAP values after prostatic trauma we studied the serum half life of PAP and the time taken to return to preoperative levels in patients undergoing transurethral resection (TUR-P). Although we observed a broad variation in peak PAP values the half life of PAP is fairly constant at about 1.1-2.6 h. Preoperative values were reached within 30 h. We conclude that PAP determinations can safely be carried out 30 h after prostatic trauma without any risk of falsely elevated PAP values.