title: Cell phone usage and erectile function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this pilot study was to report our experience concerning the effects of cell phone usage on erectile function (EF) in men.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 20 consecutive men complaining of erectile dysfunction (ED) for at least six months (Group A), and another group of 10 healthy men with no complaints of ED (Group B). Anamnesis, basic laboratory investigations, and clinical examinations were performed. All men completed the German version of the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) for evaluation of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), as well as another questionnaire designed by our clinicians that assessed cell phone usage habits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between both groups regarding age, weight, height, and total testosterone (Table 1). The SHIM scores of Group A were significantly lower than that of Group B, 11.2 ±5 and 24.2 ±2.3, respectively. Total time spent talking on the cell phone per week was not significantly higher in Group A over B, 17.6 ±11.1 vs. 12.5 ±7 hours. Men with ED were found to carry their 'switched on' cell phones for a significantly longer time than those without ED, 4.4 ±3.6 vs. 1.8 ±1 hours per day.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a potential correlation with cell phone usage and a negative impact on EF. Further large-scale studies confirming our initial data and exploring the mechanisms involved in this phenomenon are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Badereddin Mohamad
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Al-Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Patzak
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fischereder
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pummer
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Rany
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shamloul
keywords: erectile dysfunction; testosterone