Vasculogenic erectile dysfunction and metabolic syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Erectile dysfunction (ED), defined as the inability to achieve and/or maintain a penile erection sufficient for sexual intercourse, is a health problem affecting more than one-half of men between the age of 40 and 70 years.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to determine the potential factors affecting penile vascular flow and predictability of vascular flow in patients with ED.


METHODS
Totally 163 male patients between 29 and 82 years of age who were admitted to our outpatient clinic with complaints of ED were included. After a detailed medical history was obtained, all patients were asked to complete the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire. Blood samples were obtained for measurements of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting blood glucose (FBG), and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated.


METHODS
Penile color Doppler ultrasonography (PDU) was performed to evaluate flow patterns, Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman correlation analyses were used to assess the relationship of PDU findings with hypertension, obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2) ), FBG, and cholesterol levels measurements.


RESULTS
The mean age, IIEF score, and BMI of the study population was 51.3 ± 12.1 years, 11.9 ± 6.1 and 28.5 ± 4.0 kg/m(2), respectively. When the vascular pathologies detected with PDU and the presence of risk factors were compared, no significant correlation was determined between arterial insufficiency and metabolic syndrome (MS), whereas there was a significant correlation between veno-occlusive dysfunction and MS.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of ED increases with advanced age and with the presence of a systemic disease. Basic evaluations may not always be sufficient for assessment of ED. In the presence of MS, the use of penile Doppler ultrasonography should be considered for the evaluation of penile vascular structures in ED patients.
Koca
Orhan
O
Department of Urology, Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. drorhankoca@hotmail.com
Calışkan
Selahattin
S
Oztürk
Metin İ
Mİ
Güneş
Mustafa
M
Kılıçoğlu
Gamze
G
Karaman
Muhammet Ihsan
MI
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D018783:Impotence, Vasculogenic / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D010413:Penis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
D001786:Blood Glucose; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol