Impact of aging on penile hemodynamics in men responding normally to prostaglandin injection: a power Doppler study.
OBJECTIVE
Hemodynamic changes with aging in the penile arterial circulation, including the helicine arteries, were evaluated with power Doppler imaging in erectile dysfunction patients with a normal response to prostaglandin injection.


METHODS
In 36 patients with erectile dysfunction and no definite vascular risk factors, 72 corpora were examined using power Doppler imaging. Patients were classified by age: younger than 40 years, from 40 to 49, or 50 and older. Hemodynamic variables in the cavernous arteries, helicine arteries and dorsal arteries were measured after intracavernous injection of prostaglandin E1 (20 microg).


RESULTS
All cavernous arteries had a maximum peak systolic velocity of greater than 35 cm/s and a minimum end-diastolic velocity of less than 0 cm/s. Mean peak systolic velocity in the cavernous artery differed between groups (P = 0.016), especially between the younger than 40 age group and the 40-49 age group. Peak systolic velocity correlated negatively with age (P = 0.0048). In the helicine arteries and dorsal arteries, peak systolic velocity did not differ between groups and showed no correlation with age. End-diastolic velocity, resistance index and acceleration time did not differ between groups, or correlate with age for any artery.


CONCLUSIONS
Hemodynamic change with aging occurs predominantly in the cavernous arteries, where peak systolic velocity decreases. The arterial circulation beyond the cavernous arteries, including the helicine arteries, as well as veno-occlusive mechanisms, may have an important role in maintaining erectile function in aging.
Sakamoto
Hideo
H
Department of Urology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. hs-showa-u@med.showa-u.ac.jp
Kurosawa
Kazuhiro
K
Sudou
Naoki
N
Ishikawa
Kimiyasu
K
Ogawa
Yoshio
Y
Yoshida
Hideki
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000502:physiology*; D010413:Penis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D011453:Prostaglandins; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler
D011453:Prostaglandins