title: A simplified approach to assessing penile endothelial function in young individuals at risk of erectile dysfunction.
abstract: Erectile dysfunction (ED) reflects a risk for systemic cardiovascular  diseases by virtue of a common etiology of vascular endothelial dysfunction,  which is increasingly reported to affect young adults. On the basis of  physiological phenomenon of reactive hyperemia (RH), systemic and penile  endothelial functions in healthy young adults were compared with the use of  digital data on arterial waveforms before and after RH induction. Between July  2009 and March 2011, 32 young adult volunteers with normal erectile functions  were recruited. Questionnaires on medical histories and sexual functions and  blood samples for testosterone and biochemical analyses were obtained.  Dilatation index (DI) and penile arterial waveform amplitude (PAWA) ratios for  assessing systemic and penile endothelial function were acquired with an air  pressure sensing system on the arm and a penile arterial waveform analyzing  system on the penis, respectively. A total cholesterol/high-density  lipoprotein (TC/HDL) ratio greater than 4.1 was used to define high risk for  ED. Remarkable positive correlation was noted between DI and PAWA ratio  (r = .640, P < .001). DI showed significant positive  associations with serum testosterone (P = .012) and serum HDL level,  whereas it showed negative correlations with total triglyceride and  glycosylated hemoglobulin levels, body weight, waist circumference, body mass  index, and diastolic blood pressure. Similarly, the PAWA ratio showed  significant positive correlations with serum testosterone (P <  .001) and HDL levels, but negative associations with body weight, waist  circumference, and body mass index. Both DI and PAWA ratio successfully  identified participants at high risk for ED (eg, TC/HDL ratio > 4.1;  P < .05). Our results demonstrated that penile endothelial  function can be assessed by evaluating systemic endothelial function in young  healthy adults for early identification of risk for ED.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsien-Tsai
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chun-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chin-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: I-Ting
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Cheuk-Kwan
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D010410:Penile Erection; D010413:Penis / Q000098:blood supply*; D012306:Risk; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D013739:Testosterone