title: Coronary phenotypes in patients with erectile dysfunction and silent ischemic heart disease: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accumulated evidence shows that erectile dysfunction (ED) may be a precursor of coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to explore the differences in coronary phenotypes between patients with ED and patients with angina pectoris.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study enrolled 30 ED patients (study group) and 120 age-matched angina patients who had no ED (control group). All patients had angiographically documented CAD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The differences in demographic characteristics, biochemical profiles and coronary characteristics between the study and control groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diabetes mellitus (DM) and obesity defined by body mass index were more common in the study group than in the control group. The mean number of lesions and mean number of vessels with evidence of CAD were significantly different between the study and control groups (2.3 ± 0.1 vs. 2.2 ± 0.1, P < 0.001; 2.0 ± 0.2 vs. 1.8 ± 0.1, P < 0.001). The distribution of vessel involvement was similar between the groups, except for more common involvement of the ramus in the study group. There were no differences in distribution of lesion sites between the two groups. The control group had a higher percentage of type A stenotic lesions than the study group (16.3% vs. 2.9%, P = 0.004). Significant differences were also observed in type C lesions (52.9% in study group vs. 38.0% in control group, P = 0.026). Fewer calcified, irregular, and bifurcated lesions were present in the study group compared to control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study documented coronary phenotypes in ED patients without symptomatic CAD. Although the artery size hypothesis and ED had well been thought to be a precursor of CAD, the severity of coronary lesions in these patients was not more benign than that observed in angina pectoris patients who have no ED.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital; Chiayi School, Chang Gung Institute of Technology, Chai Yi Hsien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Tai
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chi-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Ju-Feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.forename: Chang-Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jia-Jen
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Shee
authors.forename: Chih-Shou
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jen-Te
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D018783:Impotence, Vasculogenic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan