title: Penile sympathic skin response in erectile dysfunction.
abstract: Penile sympathic skin response (PSSR) was measured in 20 normal patients and in 46 patients with erectile dysfunction (ED). PSSR could be registered in 80% of normal patients. The latencies were 1,100-1,600 ms. In patients with ED, latencies were 1,240-3,640 ms. A reproducible normal latency of PSSR (< 1,600 ms) indicates a normal sympathic innervation of the penis. Long latencies (> 1,800 ms) indicate neuropathy of unmyelinated nerval fibers. The loss of a reproducible answer however allows no exact diagnostic information. PSSR is a useful diagnostic test for detecting neuropathy of unmyelinated nerval fibers as a possible cause of ED.
authors.affiliation: Clinics of Urology, University of the Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Derouet
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Jost
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Osterhage
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eckert
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frenzel
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schimrigk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ziegler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004576:Electromyography; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*