Autonomic nerve involvement and venous leakage in diabetic men with impotence.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the neurophysiological and vascular factors in diabetic impotence, particularly the role of autonomic neuropathy on venous leakage and erectile impotence.


METHODS
Thirty-four diabetic men with impotence were investigated using various neurophysiological and radiological methods. The results were compared with those from patients with idiopathic penile venous leakage for autonomic neuropathy, especially for spontaneous cavernosal activity (SCA).


RESULTS
Of the neurophysiological tests, the SCA was most frequently abnormal, with the loss of normal periodic oscillations. Penile venous leakage, either alone or with arterial insufficiency, was the most frequent vascular problem (67%) in patients with diabetic impotence, in whom the SCA was absent in most (83%). Conversely, the SCA was normal in all impotent patients with idiopathic venous leakage.


CONCLUSIONS
Venous leakage in diabetic patients is probably produced by autonomic dysfunction of the penile vascular innervation or degeneration of penile smooth muscles, because the SCA was absent more often in these patients.
Colakoglu
Z
Z
Department of Neurology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Kutluay
E
E
Ertekin
C
C
Altay
B
B
Killi
R
R
Alkis
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000503:physiopathology; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018783:Impotence, Vasculogenic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000502:physiology; D010413:Penis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000294:innervation; D011930:Reaction Time