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Causes of increased acid phosphatase
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Acid phosphatase is found in almost all organs and tissues of a person, in the largest quantities - in cells of the blood, prostate, liver, kidneys, bones. Enzyme is also found in human milk.
The activity of acid phosphatase in the prostate gland is 100 times higher than in other tissues. In men, half the serum acidic phosphatase produced by the prostate gland, the rest - the liver and collapsing platelets and erythrocytes.
In women, the enzyme produces liver, erythrocytes and platelets. Acid phosphatase is not a homogeneous enzyme. Most tissues contain two or more isoenzymes, which differ in their properties.
The reference values (norm) of activity of acid phosphatase in blood serum are 0-6.5 IU / l.
The determination of acid phosphatase activity in clinical practice is usually performed for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. The activity of acid phosphatase is increased in prostate cancer not always: only in 20-25% of patients without metastases and in 60% of patients with metastases. The degree of increase in acid phosphatase activity is especially high in patients with bone metastases.
Determination of the activity of acid phosphatase can be used for differential diagnosis of metastases of prostate cancer in bone and bone diseases, in particular osteodystrophies, where alkaline phosphatase activity is usually increased, while in prostate cancer metastases, both alkaline and and acidic phosphatases.
It should be borne in mind that prostate massage, catheterization, cystoscopy, rectal studies increase the activity of acid phosphatase, so the blood should be collected at the earliest 48 hours after the listed procedures.
Increased acid phosphatase may occur with increased destruction of platelets (trobocytopenia, thromboembolism, etc.), hemolytic disease, progressive Paget's disease, metastatic bone lesions, myeloma (not always), Gaucher's disease and Nyman-Pick, 1-2 days after surgery on the prostate gland or after her biopsy.
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