Does an inflammatory bowel disease flare in men increase serum prostate-specific antigen?

People with chronic medical conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience increased numbers of healthcare interactions such as clinic and lab visits and hospitalizations. It is important to minimize unnecessary medical tests in this group to help reduce unnecessary healthcare encounters that will provide little benefit to patients. One test that, if positive, may lead to several more tests and procedures is the blood test which measures prostate-specific antigen (PSA). This test is used to screen men for prostate cancer. Unfortunately, the PSA test has been shown to be positive in several men without prostate cancer, including non-cancer inflammation of the prostate. Following a flare of a man’s IBD, the PSA test may become falsely positive leading to further unnecessary tests including referral to a urologist and a prostate biopsy. This study will measure PSA levels in men following an IBD flare and compare those levels to men with IBD without a recent flare. The results of this study may lead to smarter prostate cancer screening in men with IBD and reduce unnecessary healthcare expenditures and encounters.