Patterns of clinical response to PSA elevation in American Indian/Alaska Native men: a multi-center pilot study

Abstract

Objective: To assess clinical treatment patterns and response times among American Indian/Alaska Native men with a newly elevated PSA.

Methods: We retrospectively identified men ages 50-80 receiving care in one of three tribally-operated clinics in Northern Minnesota, one medical center in Alaska, and who had an incident PSA elevation (> 4 ng/ml) in a specified time period. A clinical response was considered timely if it was documented as occurring within 90 days of the incident PSA elevation.

Results: Among 82 AI/AN men identified from medical records with an incident PSA elevation, 49 (60%) received a timely clinical response, while 18 (22%) had no documented clinical response.

Conclusions: One in five AI/AN men in our study had no documented clinical action following an incident PSA elevation. Although a pilot study, these findings suggest the need to improve the documentation, notification, and care following an elevated PSA at clinics serving AI/AN men.

FIGURE 1

Distribution of the number of days between incident elevated PSA levels and the first documented clinical response for 82 AI/AN men.