Erectile dysfunction associates with endothelial dysfunction and raised proinflammatory cytokine levels in obese men.
Erectile and endothelial dysfunction may have some shared pathways through a defect in nitric oxide activity. We evaluated associations between erectile function, endothelial function and markers of systemic vascular inflammation in 80 obese men, aged 35-55 yr, divided into two equal groups according to the presence/absence of erectile dysfunction. Compared with non-obese age-matched men [no.=50, body mass index (BMI)=24 +/- 1], obese men (all) had impaired indices of endothelial function as suggested by the reduced mean blood pressure and platelet aggregation responses to L-arginine, and higher circulating concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-18 (IL-18), as well as C-reactive protein (CRP). The mean erectile function score was 14 +/- 4 (range 7-19) in obese men with erectile dysfunction and 23.5 +/- 1 (range 22-25) in obese men without erectile dysfunction. Endothelial function showed a greater impairment in impotent obese men as compared with potent obese men. The mean blood pressure and platelet aggregation decreases following L-arginine were -1.5 +/- 1.1 mmHg and -1.1 +/- 1.2%, respectively, in obese men with erectile dysfunction, and -3.4 +/- 1.2 mmHg and -5.6 +/- 2.1%, respectively, in obese men without erectile dysfunction (p < 0.01). Circulating CRP levels were significantly higher in obese men with erectile dysfunction as compared with obese men without erectile dysfunction (p < 0.05). Erectile function score was positively associated with mean blood pressure responses to L-arginine and negatively associated with BMI, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and CRR Erectile and endothelial dysfunction associate in obese men and may contribute to their raised cardiovascular risk through impaired nitric oxide availability elicited by a low-grade inflammatory state.
Giugliano
F
F
Department of Geriatrics and Metabolic Diseases, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
Esposito
K
K
Di Palo
C
C
Ciotola
M
M
Giugliano
G
G
Marfella
R
R
D'Armiento
M
M
Giugliano
D
D
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology*
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002097:C-Reactive Protein