INTRODUCTION: It is common knowledge among researchers that erectile dysfunction (ED) is an important sentinel marker of cardiovascular and overall men's health.
AIM: Determine whether the delay of time between ED onset and seeking medical help (DSH), considered as a proxy of awareness of the importance of ED for overall men's health, has shortened during the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5) era.
METHODS: Complete data from 619 patients seeking first medical help for new-onset ED as their primary disorder between July 2000 and July 2010 were analyzed (i.e., DSH, ED severity as defined by the International Index of Erectile Function-erectile function [IIEF-EF] domain score, patient's awareness of any PDE5, and Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI]). Analysis of variance tested DSH throughout the 10-year time frame. Cox regression models tested the association between predictors and DSH.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Assess if DSH has shortened throughout PDE5 era. Evaluate potential predictors of DSH.
RESULTS: Overall, mean DSH was 30.2 months (median 12.0; range 5-300 months). DSH shortened throughout the analyzed 10-year period (F = 1.918; P = 0.047), with a significant drop only from year 2009 (DSH up to year 2008 vs. from year 2009: 31.0 months [12.0] vs. 7.5 months [6.0], respectively; P < 0.001). Age, CCI, educational status, and ED severity did not significantly change over time. As a whole, 560 patients (90.5%) were aware of PDE5 at the time of their first office visit. PDE5 awareness emerged as an univarible and multivariable predictor of a shortened DSH. Conversely, DSH was not clearly associated with age, CCI, educational status, or ED severity.
CONCLUSIONS: Delay in seeking medical help in new-onset ED patients remained high over the PDE5 era, with a significant drop only from the year 2009. PDE5 awareness emerged as an independent predictor of shortening of this delay.
Written by:
Salonia A, Ferrari M, Saccà A, Pellucchi F, Castagna G, Clementi MC, Matloob R, Briganti A, Rigatti P, Montorsi F. Are you the author?
Department of Urology, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
Reference: J Sex Med. 2012 Dec;9(12):3239-46.
doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02953.x
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 23057479
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