title: Influence of Androgen Receptor Gene CAG and GGC Polymorphisms on Male Sexual Function: A Cross-Sectional Study.
abstract: Background. No study has assessed the possible involvement of GGC androgen receptor (AR) polymorphism in sexual function. Our aim is to evaluate the association between CAG and GGC AR polymorphisms in this function.Methods. We retrospectively examined eighty-five outpatients. Clinical, biochemical, and genetic parameters were considered. Sexual assessment was performed using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) which evaluates erectile function (EF), orgasmic function (OF), sexual desire (SD), intercourse satisfaction (IS), and overall satisfaction (OS).Results. In the whole sample, CAG repeats were inversely correlated with EF, OF, and total IIEF-15 score, whereas GGC tracts did not show any significant correlation with sexual function. CAG relationship with IIEF items retained significance only in the eugonadal but not in the hypogonadal cohort. On the other hand, GGC tracts were not found to be significantly correlated with IIEF variables in either eugonadal or hypogonadal subjects. In eugonadal subjects, logistic regression pointed out that a higher number of CAG triplets were associated with lower values of EF, OF, SD, OS, and total IIEF independently from other confounders.Conclusions. GGC polymorphism seems not to exert any influence on sexual function, whereas CAG polymorphism appears to affect sexual parameters only in eugonadal subjects.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0787-7051
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tirabassi
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Unit, Medical Department, Maggiore-Bellaria Hospital, Azienda-Usl Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corona
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Falzetti
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Delli Muti
authors.affiliation: Sexual Medicine and Andrology Unit, Department of Experimental, Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5027-4446
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1286-1521
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Balercia