title: Vitamin D and erectile dysfunction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endothelial dysfunction has been demonstrated to play an important role in pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction (ED) and vitamin D deficiency is deemed to promote endothelial dysfunctions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the status of serum vitamin D in a group of patients with ED.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnosis and severity of ED was based on the IIEF-5 and its aetiology was classified as arteriogenic (A-ED), borderline (BL-ED), and non-arteriogenic (NA-ED) with penile-echo-color-Doppler in basal condition and after intracaversous injection of prostaglandin E1. Serum vitamin D and intact PTH concentrations were measured.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vitamin D levels of men with A-ED were compared with those of male with BL-ED and NA-ED.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty patients were classified as A-ED, 28 as ED-BL and 65 as NA-ED, for a total of 143 cases. Mean vitamin D level was 21.3 ng/mL; vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) was present in 45.9% and only 20.2% had optimal vitamin D levels. Patients with severe/complete-ED had vitamin D level significantly lower (P = 0.02) than those with mild-ED. Vitamin level was negatively correlated with PTH and the correlation was more marked in subjects with vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency in A-ED was significantly lower (P = 0.01) than in NA-ED patients. Penile-echo-color-Doppler revealed that A-ED (PSV ≤ 25 cm/second) was more frequent in those with vitamin D deficiency as compared with those with vitamin >20 ng/dL (45% vs. 24%; P < 0.05) and in the same population median PSV values were lower (26 vs. 38; P < 0.001) in vitamin D subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that a significant proportion of ED patients have a vitamin D deficiency and that this condition is more frequent in patients with the arteriogenic etiology. Low levels of vitamin D might increase the ED risk by promoting endothelial dysfunction. Men with ED should be analyzed for vitamin D levels and particularly to A-ED patients with a low level a vitamin D supplementation is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, San Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barassi
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pezzilli
authors.forename: Giovanni M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Colpi
authors.forename: Massimiliano M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Corsi Romanelli
authors.forename: Gian Vico
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Melzi d'Eril
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010413:Penis / Q000503:physiopathology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: Endothelial Dysfunctions; Erectile Dysfunction; Vitamin D