Evaluation of microalbuminuria in patients with erectile dysfunction.
BACKGROUND
The recent sophisticated diagnostic procedures aimed at identifying the exact cause of erectile dysfunction (ED) are often complicated in clinical application, invasive, or highly expensive. Microalbuminuria, a test easy to perform and of low cost, is a marker of extensive endothelial dysfunction, and it has been suggested to be linked to ED.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the eventual role of microalbuminuria in differentiating patients with arteriogenic and non arteriogenic ED.


METHODS
The diagnosis of ED was based on the International Index of Erectile Function 5-questionnaire, and patients were classified as arteriogenic (N = 29) and non-arteriogenic (N = 49) in relation to the results of echo-color-doppler examination of cavernosal arteries in basal conditions and after intracavernous injection of 10 microg prostaglandin E(1).


METHODS
The microalbuminuria of 78 males without the most common atheriosclerotic risks and with ED was measured.


RESULTS
Microalbuminuria, defined as urinary albumin/creatinine ratio, was not significantly (P > 0.05) different between patients of the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show that in ED patients the cavernosal arteries damage, as assessed by dynamic echo-color-doppler, may be independent on or precede extensive endothelial dysfunction, and that microalbuminuria cannot be predictive of penile arteriogenic etiology.
Dipartimento di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. alessandra.barassi@unimi.it
Alessandra
A
Barassi
Raffaele
R
Pezzilli
Antonio Maria
AM
Morselli-Labate
Wanda
W
Porreca
Guido
G
Piediferro
Francesco
F
Ciociola
Giovanni
G
Colpi
Gianvico Melzi
GM
d'Eril
D000328:Adult; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000527:Alprostadil / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010413:Penis / Q000187:drug effects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000527:Alprostadil