Sleep-related painful erection in a 50-year-old man successfully treated with cinitapride.
BACKGROUND
The sleep-related painful erection (SRPE) is a well-established parasomnia characterized by episodes of penile pain during an erection and typically appears during REM sleep. It is associated with nocturnal awakenings, anxiety, and irritability.


OBJECTIVE
To report a case study that highlights the successful treatment of SRPE with cinitapride.


METHODS
We present a case report of a 50-year-old man suffering from SRPE that was studied by polysomnography.


RESULTS
Severe fragmentation of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was observed, and nine episodes of sleep-related erections were observed through the night; they were associated with REM sleep, and five of them were classified as SRPE. Cinitapride before the onset of sleep was started. Both the frequency and intensity of SRPE gradually decreased during a period of 6 months with the maintenance of normal sexual function.


CONCLUSIONS
Cinitapride can play a role in reducing SRPE at night probably due to central modulation of neurotransmitters mediating erection.
Chiner
Eusebi
E
Pneumology Section, Hospital Universitario, San Juan de Alicante, Spain. chiner_eus@gva.es
Sancho-Chust
José Norberto
JN
Llombart
Mónica
M
Camarasa
Ana
A
Senent
Cristina
C
Mediero
Gabriel
G
Gómez-Merino
Elia
E
D001549:Benzamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects*; D017286:Polysomnography; D020923:REM Sleep Parasomnias / Q000188:drug therapy*
D001549:Benzamides; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; C045316:cinitapride