title: Association between serum fetuin-A level and erectile function.
abstract: Recent studies have shown that ED is an early symptom of atherosclerosis. Fetuin-A, a glycoprotein secreted by the liver, kidneys and choroid plexus, has been linked to systemic fibrosis and calcification in human and rat studies. Deficiency of this compound may play a role in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease progression. The aim of the study was to examine whether serum fetuin-A level is related to erectile function or severity of ED. Sixty ED patients without cardiovascular disease were assigned to one of the three groups (mild, moderate or severe ED) depending on ED severity. Twenty healthy volunteers were included as the control group. The International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire was used to measure erection quality in all four groups. Mean age, body mass index, total testosterone, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels did not significantly differ between the three erectile dysfunction and control groups (P > 0.05). The group with severe ED had a significantly lower mean fetuin-A level than the mild ED and control groups. For both mild and moderate ED groups, the mean serum fetuin-A level was significantly lower in comparison with the control group (P < 0.001). Serum fetuin-A level may be used as a supplemental biochemical parameter in preliminary evaluation of ED.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Erzincan University Mengucek Gazi Research and Training Hospital, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karabakan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Erzincan University Mengucek Gazi Research and Training Hospital, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Erzincan University Mengucek Gazi Research and Training Hospital, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gunay
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Aktas
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Erzincan University Mengucek Gazi Research and Training Hospital, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hirik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan University, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aydın
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Erzincan University Mengucek Gazi Research and Training Hospital, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nuhoglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D060749:alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: C556354:AHSG protein, human; D060749:alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein
keywords: Atherosclerosis; biomarker; calcification; erectile dysfunction; fetuin-A