title: Stratification of penile vascular pathologies in patients with Peyronie's disease and in men with erectile dysfunction according to age: a comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Erectile dysfunction (ED) occurs in 20% to 54% of men with Peyronie's disease (PD). We investigated the role of vascular status in the pathophysiology of ED in patients with PD.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 509 consecutive men with PD (group 1--impotent 259, 1a, and potent 250, 1b, mean age +/- SD 54.6 +/- 4.4 years) and 507 consecutive men with ED only (group 2--mean age 49.4 +/- 12.4 years) underwent penile duplex ultrasonography (PDU). Detailed sexual and medical history, and focused physical examination were performed in all patients. Patients in the 2, groups were stratified according to age (18 to 80 years) and classified according to PDU results (normal vascular status, arterial insufficiency, veno-occlusive dysfunction [VOD] and mixed vascular pathology).
  
  
  RESULTS
  VOD was observed in 23.1% and 42.8% of patients in groups 1 and 2, respectively (p <0.05). Although VOD was significantly more common in group 2 (ED alone) than in group 1a (PD plus ED) in the third decade (p <0.05), overall PDU results showed no statistical difference for VOD between these 2 groups (p >0.05). Of note, mixed vascular pathologies were significantly higher in group 1a than in group 2 in the third through fifth decades (p <0.05), while arterial insufficiency was more common in the seventh decade (p <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While many groups have investigated the vascular causes of ED, the exact etiology of ED in men with PD remains controversial. A possible relationship between ED and VOD in patients with PD has been previously reported. The current PDU study demonstrates that for all ages except 30 to 39 years the prevalence of VOD in patients with PD plus ED is similar to that of patients with ED alone.
authors.affiliation: Section of Andrology, Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA.
authors.forename: Mustafa F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Usta
authors.forename: Trinity J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Bivalacqua
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tokatli
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: K Hakan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Gulkesen
authors.forename: Suresh C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sikka
authors.forename: Wayne J G
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hellstrom
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010411:Penile Induration / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010413:Penis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*