AIM: Aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between erectile function and cardiovascular risk factors by assessing arterial stiffness and myocardial scintigraphy and carotid artery intima-media thickness.
METHODS: Fifty-nine consecutive asymptomatic men aged 30-86 years, were included. Myocardial scintigraphy, Doppler sonography of carotid artery and arterial stiffness parameters were performed. Erectile function was evaluated with a validated erectile function index quesionaire.
RESULTS: The control group included 18 subjects and the study group included 41 subjects with abnormal IIEF-5 scores. We compared both group's IIEF-5 scores there was significant correlation between IIEF-5 and cholesterol (P< 0.05) and HbA1c (P< 0.05). Moreover, there was a significant correlation in patients with abnormal IIEF-5 scores and pathologic myocardial perfusion imaging (P< 0.05) and triglyceride (P< 0.05). A two-factor ANOVA showed two significant interactions patients with abnormal cholesterol and abnormal pulse wave velocity, augmentation index had lower IIEF-5 scores; patients with abnormal triglyceride values, and abnormal Hb1Ac had lower IIEF-5 scores.
CONCLUSION: Erectile dysfunction (ED) prevalence is high in cardiology patients referred for myocardial nuclear imaging. There is a significant relation between ED, diabetes and hyperlipidemia, and advanced age. Myocardial nuclear scan and arterial stiffness parameters could be used to stratify the cardiovascular risk factors in ED patients.
Written by:
Al-Ali BM, Holz M, Sadik P, Oppeck C, Schmidt K, Oppeck G. Are you the author?
Department of Urology Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria.
Reference: Minerva Urol Nefrol. 2015 Mar;67(1):11-8.
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 25664960