Can the mean platelet volume be a risk factor for vasculogenic erectile dysfunction?
OBJECTIVE
The mean platelet volume (MPV) is a marker of the platelet activity and is reported to increase in vascular diseases. We aimed to investigate the association between MPV and vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED).


METHODS
MPV and platelet (PLT) levels were measured in 50 cases of ED and 40 healthy controls. The diagnosis of vasculogenic ED was based on a detailed sexual history, physical examination, laboratory assessment, and color Doppler ultrasonography. The results are given as mean±standard deviation of the mean.


RESULTS
The mean ages of the patient and the control groups were 53.70±12.39 years (range 24~77 years) and 53.85±9.5 years (range 30~73 years), respectively (p=0.947). The MPV and PLT values were significantly higher in the patients with ED than those of the controls (7.49±1.4), (6.85±1.2), (262.97±68), (252.89±82) respectively, p<0.001). However, the MPV values were not statistically significantly different in the patients with severe ED according to the International Index of Erectile Function than in those with mild ED, p>0.05), and there was no correlation between MPV and either age of patients (p=0.905) or duration of ED (p=0.583).


CONCLUSIONS
The platelet count and MPV was detected to be increased in patients with vasculogenic ED. This finding suggests a role for platelets in the pathogenesis of vascular complications and that the MPV would be useful in monitoring disease progression.
Department of Urology, Harran University Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
Halil
H
Ciftci
Department of Urology, Harran University Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
Ercan
E
Yeni
Department of Urology, Harran University Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
Mehmet
M
Demir
Department of Urology, Harran University Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
Ismail
I
Yagmur
Department of Urology, Harran University Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
Kemal
K
Gümüş
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey.
Hakim
H
Celik
Department of Urology, Harran University Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
Murat
M
Savas
Department of Urology, Harran University Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
Mehmet
M
Gulum
Erectile dysfunction; Impotence, vasculogenic; Platelet