title: BPH/LUTS and ED: common pharmacological pathways for a common treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article reviews the current literature on common physiopathogenetic factors and pharmacological pathways of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and erectile dysfunction (ED) in men and their implications for diagnosis and treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search was conducted to identify original articles, reviews, editorials, and international scientific congress abstracts by combining the following terms: lower urinary tract symptoms, erectile dysfunction and phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (and their abbreviations LUTS, ED and PDE5-Is).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified manuscripts presenting: (i) The existence of several newly discovered common pathophysiological mechanisms of LUTS and ED indicating that PDE5-Is might represent an alternative to current treatments of men with LUTS (e.g., α1-adrenergic blockers and 5α-reductase inhibitors); (ii) Randomized controlled clinical trials have shown that treatment with PDE5-Is is associated with improvements in both LUTS and ED in men with significant problems in both areas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of common pathophysiological mechanisms between LUTS and ED seems well recognized and needs further exploration. Further comparisons between different PDE5-Is would be useful to determine the most appropriate regimen and their efficacy to safety ratio.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odonto-stomatologic Sciences, University Federico II, Naples, Italy; Interdepartmental Centre for Preclinical and Clinical Research in Sexual Medicine (CIRMS), University of Naples, Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fusco
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Anzeo
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sessa
authors.forename: Gianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pace
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capece
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: d'Emmanuele di Villa Bianca
mesh_terms: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects*; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors
keywords: BPH; ED; LUTS; Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Treatments; Treatments