Correlation of the erectile dysfunction with lesions of cerebrovascular accidents.
BACKGROUND
The recent human and animal studies indicate that the central supraspinal systems controlling penile erection, which are localized predominantly in the parts of the frontal lobe and limbic system, are reported to be involved in erection.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to elucidate the correlation of the erectile dysfunction (ED) with lesions of cerebrovascular accidents (CVA).


METHODS
Forty-four men were selected among the CVA patients who had visited our hospital between March and July 2006. The audiovisual sexual stimulation (AVSS) test was conducted using Rigiscan device on the patients, whose erectile domain score of the International Index of Erectile Function Questionnaire (IIEF) was less than 22. The criteria for adequate erectile function was the erectile events of > 60% rigidity for > or = 5 minutes. The CVA lesions were classified into frontal lobe, cortex except frontal lobe, basal ganglia, thalamus, and other area. Each CVA lesions of ED group and non-ED group were compared.


METHODS
IIEF, AVSS using Rigiscan.


RESULTS
Thirty-eight patients' erectile domain score of IIEF were less than 22, and the AVSS test was conducted on them. Eighteen patients showed no ED, and 20 patients showed ED. The mean age of the ED group was 60.40 +/- 2.2, and the mean age of non-ED group was 55.29 +/- 1.85. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean age of both groups (P = 0.081). As each CVA lesions of both groups were compared, the CVA lesions of the thalamic area in the ED group were significantly more than in the non-ED group (P = 0.010).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients (47.4%) who were suggestive of ED in the IIEF has no ED in the AVSS test. The patients who had CVA lesions in the thalamic area more commonly showed ED than the patients with CVA lesions of any other areas.
Jeon
Sang-Wohn
SW
Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Yoo
Koo Han
KH
Kim
Tae-Hwan
TH
Kim
Jin Il
JI
Lee
Choong-Hyun
CH
D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology