title: Coronary artery calcifications in hemodialysis patients and their correlation with the prevalence of erectile dysfunction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim in this study was to investigate the prevalence and correlation with coronary artery calcium scores (CACS) and erectile dysfunction (ED) among hemodialysis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five male patients with chronic renal failure were selected to participate in this study. All patients underwent examinations for CACS using 16-channel multidetector computed tomography. The presence and severity of ED were determined by calculating the erectile function domain of the self-administered International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients' ages ranged from 22 to 78 with a mean of 51.6 years. The mean duration of hemodialysis was 75.7 months (range = 12 to 232). Twenty-six patients had a history of one or more systemic diseases. The prevalence of any level of ED was 82.9% for all hemodialysis patients, and severe ED, 40%. The CACS was significantly higher among patients with severe ED (P = .032). The IIEF-5 score was also shown to have a moderate negative correlation with the CACS (r = -.420, P = .012). Age, duration of hemodialysis, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary heart diseases, hyperlipidemia, thyroid disease, depression, tobacco consumption, and medication were not associated with the presence of ED (P > .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ED is prevalent in hemodialysis patients. Although many possible factors contribute to ED, the severity of ED increases with greater CACS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hacettepe University, School of Medicine, Shihiye, Ankara, Turkey. kuinci@hacettepe.tr
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inci
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hazirolan
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Aki
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oruc
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tombul
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tasar
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Erkan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakkaloglu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turgan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ergen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed