title: Salvage therapy trial for erectile dysfunction using phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors and vitamin E: preliminary report.
abstract: We report our initial experience with salvage therapy for low responders to PDE-5 inhibitors by adding vitamin E. Of 89 patients with ED who visited our clinic between January 2004 to August 2006, 9 were unable to obtain a full response to a PDE-5 inhibitor and included in the present study. After providing informed consent, each was given 300 mg per day of alpha-tocophenol at least 1 month and completed IIEF-5 questionnaires to assess its efficacy while also taking a PDE-5 inhibitor. With alpha-tocophenol administration, the average IIEF-5 score increased from 13.8 +/- 3.2 to 17.1 +/- 3.6. Four of seven patients who completed the questionnaire each time showed improved IIEF-5 scores, with a maximum elevation of 9 points. Further, eight of the nine patients experienced favourable subjective changes, the majority being increased penile rigidity. The present clinical trial results are, to our knowledge, the first known to show the effects of vitamin E for enhancing the efficacy of a PDE-5 inhibitor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan. urokon@hyo-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kondoh
authors.forename: Yoshihide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.forename: Takuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nojima
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shima
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011687:Purines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007093:Imidazoles; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D014227:Triazines; D014810:Vitamin E; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate