Sildenafil test: changes in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of erectile dysfunction.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy of sildenafil as a first-step diagnostic and therapeutic tool for erectile dysfunction (ED) and to evaluate the consequent changes in the management of male sexual insufficiency.


METHODS
Sildenafil in titrating doses up to 100 mg was prescribed to 50 men presenting to a sexual dysfunction clinic with medically documented ED. They had not undergone any specific diagnostic test before starting sildenafil.


RESULTS
Of the 50 men, 24 (48%) responded to sildenafil. Of these, 8 (33.3%) responded to 50 mg and 16 (66.7%) to 100 mg of sildenafil. Of the responders, 9 representing 18% of all studied men were discharged achieving spontaneous erections in a mean follow-up of 5.3 months. Men with no medical history, men with hypertension and men with mild coronary artery disease responded better.


CONCLUSIONS
The sildenafil test revealed that 48% of men responded to this therapy with no requirement for more invasive tests and that 18% of men required no further treatment at all. In addition this test reduced the overall cost of the diagnostic investigation. It is proposed that the sildenafil test should be used in cases with no significant medical history or in men with hypertension or mild coronary artery disease although almost all men with ED could be categorized as sildenafil-responders or sildenafil-resistant. It is also suggested that the sildenafil test would result in the ability for more men with ED to be managed exclusively in the primary care sector.
Perimenis
P
P
Department of Urology, Medical School, University of Patras, Greece. perimenis@internet.gr
Athanasopoulos
A
A
Gyftopoulos
K
K
Barbalias
G
G
D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011687:Purines; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones
D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate