Effect of low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy on nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity and penile haemodynamics

The study aims to evaluate the effect of low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT) on nocturnal erection and penile haemodynamics. Patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) were enrolled from January 2018 to March 2019. Self-reported erectile symptoms, the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) and Erection Hardness Scores (EHS), nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR) and cavernous duplex Doppler ultrasound (CDDU) were evaluated. NPTR and CDDU were evaluated by Rigiscan and vascular ultrasound system respectively. Comparisons of NPTR and CDDU parameters were performed before and after Li-ESWT (Renova, once a week, 4 weeks in total). A total of 35 cases (mean age 36.51 ± 11.47 years) were enrolled for analysis. The IIEF-5 (10.60 ± 5.99 vs. 15.13 ± 6.22, p = .003), EHS (p = .016) and self-reported erectile hardness (p = .014) were significantly improved after 1-month treatment. Nocturnal erection frequency (p = .010), duration of total erection (p = .017), duration of erectile rigidity ≥60% at penile tip and base (p = .014 and p = .002) and the best erectile rigidity at penile tip and base (p = .012 and p = .005) improved significantly after treatment. However, no CDDU parameters improved after Li-ESWT (all p > .05). Li-ESWT can effectively improve subjective erectile function and nocturnal erection in ED patients. Large sample and well-designed studies need to be developed for supporting the current findings.     

Erectile dysfunction in patients with first-episode psychosis

Sexual dysfunction is more prevalent in psychotic patients than in the nonpsychotic population. The objective of this study was to identify correlations between serum prolactin levels, testosterone levels and erectile dysfunction in patients with first-episode psychosis (n = 40) compared to age-matched healthy controls (n = 40). All subjects underwent clinical evaluation, international index of erectile function (IIEF5) score assessment and measurement of serum prolactin and total testosterone levels. In first-episode psychotic patients, the IIEF-5 score and total testosterone levels were significantly lower, while serum prolactin levels were higher. We concluded that men with first-episode psychosis are at an increased risk for development of erectile dysfunction, and increased duration of untreated psychosis leads to a higher incidence of erectile dysfunction and hyperprolactinemia.     

Is erectile dysfunction related to self-esteem and depression? A prospective case–control study

Sexual activity is important role in life of men. Decreased sexual function has a negative impact on the quality of life of the patients and their partners. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship of erectile dysfunction (ED) with self-esteem, symptom severity and depression. The 80 patients were evaluated prospectively. Group 1 (cases group) included 40 patients who with ED an age range of up to 18–70 years. Group 2 (healthy control group) included 40 patients who apply to the urology clinic for various reasons without ED. All patients were filled international index of erectile function-5 (IIEF-5), Beck Depression questionnaire (BDI-2) and Rosenberg self-esteem questionnaires (RESQ). Demographic characteristics and inventory results of the patients were compared between the two groups. Significant differences were found between the two groups in IIEF-5, RESQ and BDI-2 scores. In Group 1, IIEF-5 score was low, RESQ, BDI-2 scores were significantly higher (All scores p < 0.001). As a result people significantly reflect their sexual satisfaction in their social life. The patients with mild ED are not entirely satisfied in spite of normal sexual frequency. This situation causes significantly low the self-esteem of men. Prevention of ED will contribute to increased self-esteem and happy lives.     

Male Sexual Function in Patients Receiving Different Types of Renal Replacement Therapy

BackgroundPatients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) experience erectile dysfunction (ED). Although it is a benign disorder, ED is related to physical and psychosocial health, and it has a significant impact on the quality of life (QOL). The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of different renal replacement therapies on ED.MethodsA total of 100 ESRD patients and 50 healthy men were recruited to the present cross-sectional study. The study was consisted of 53 renal transplantation (RT; group I; mean age, 39.01 ± 7.68 years; mean duration of follow-up, 97.72 ± 10.35 months) and 47 hemodialysis (HD) patients (group II; mean age, 38.72 ± 9.12 years; mean duration of follow-up, 89.13 ± 8.65 months). The control group consisted of 50 healthy men (group III; mean age 39.77 ± 8.51 years). Demographic data and laboratory values were obtained. All groups were evaluated with the following scales: International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-5 and Short Form (SF)-36 questionnaires, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The patients whose IIEF score were ≤21 were accepted as having ED.ResultsThe mean age of these groups were similar (P > .05). Total IIEF-5 scores of men in groups I, II, and III were 19.5 ± 4.5, 16.4 ± 5.9, and 22.5 ± 3.4, respectively. The mean total IIEF-5 score of control group was higher than those of groups I and II (P < .001). Posttransplant group mean total IIEF-5 score was also higher than the HD group (P < .05). Groups I and II significantly differed from control group in terms of presence of ED (IIEF score ≤21: Group I, n = 28 [52.8%]; group II, n = 29 [61.7%]; and group III, n = 12 [%24], respectively [P < .001]), whereas there was no difference between groups I and II. In the logistic regression analysis (variables included age, BDI, and renal replacement therapy [HD and transplantation]), ED was independently associated with age (odds ratio [OR], 1.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–1.2), BDI (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.01–1.13). Additionally, ED was not associated with renal replacement therapy (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 0.60–3.57). Physiologic health domain of SF-36 was significantly better in healthy controls (P < .001). Patient groups were similar in terms of BDI score (P > .05). ED score was negatively correlated with BDI (r = ?0.368; P < .001), and positively correlated with SF-36 (r = 0.495; P < .001) in all patient groups.ConclusionPatients with ESRD had significantly lower sexual function and lower QOL scores than the healthy control men. Notably, the mode of renal replacement therapy had no impact on male sexual function.     

Predicting risk of erectile dysfunction in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the risk factors for erectile dysfunction (ED). We aimed to predict the risk of ED in patients with NAFLD. The study included 146 male patients complaining impotence admitted to the urology outpatient clinic aged 24–80 years without a history of alcohol use who underwent abdominal ultrasonography between February 2018 and January 2019. 106 patients with NAFLD and 40 men without NAFLD were included in the study. Clinical and laboratory parameters, ED status according to International Index of Erectile Function-5 were compared between patients with and without NAFLD. The mean age of patients was 51.47 ± 10.34 years. NAFLD was detected in 72.6% of the patients. No statistically significant difference was found regarding mean age, BMI, IIEF-5 scores, DM status, serum glucose levels (p > .05). Fasting insulin levels, hypertension (HT), insulin resistance (IR) and ED status of the patients with NAFLD were significantly higher than patients without NAFLD (p < .05). NAFLD was found to be a significantly independent associated with ED. We also found that patients with NAFLD have risk of ED 2.92 times higher than without NAFLD (OR: 2.92). For the patients presenting with erectile dysfunction, hepatic steatosis should also be considered.     

Smoking status and the baseline international index of erectile function score can predict satisfactory response to platelet-rich plasma in patients with erectile dysfunction: A prospective pilot study

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common condition with a significant impact on the quality of life. Regenerative medicine maladies are intended to repair or replace damaged tissues and organs through different therapeutic mechanisms. Our aim was to study the effect of intra-corporeal injection (ICI) of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in ED patients. Thirty-four patients’ erectile function was evaluated by filling up an abridged form of the international index of erectile function (IIEF-5) before and after PRP therapy. ICI of PRP was done once per week for 2 months. All patients were prescribed PDE5Is for one month after PRP therapy. Penile haemodynamics was assessed using 20 µg of PGE1 before and 3 months after initiating PRP therapy. Interestingly, our study had shown that there was a statistically significant difference in the IIEF-5 score after ICI of PRP (−5.5, ±5.2, p=<0.001). Furthermore, in multiple logistic regression model for PRP responsiveness, smoking and IIEF score before PRP were the only significant independent variables (p = .040, p = .023 respectively). PRP injection for ED patients may be a promising modality as well as baseline IIEF-5, and smoking status can be used as predictors for a satisfactory response to PRP in such patients.     

Impact of antiangiogenic treatment on the erectile function in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma

We longitudinally assessed erectile function as well as the willingness to use pro-erectile treatment in a cohort on AAT for advanced RCC. Thirty-seven patients with advanced RCC completed the five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) and other interview items before (T0) and 12 weeks into therapy (T12) with AAT. Patients were further asked if they were willing to use and pay out-of-pocket for on-demand treatment with phosphodiesterase-5-inhibitors (PDE-5i). Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric hypothesis testing. The IIEF-5 score at T12 was significantly decreased compared with T0 (p < .001). Subjective patient satisfaction regarding their sexual lives was associated with higher IIEF-5 scores at both time points (p = .006 and p = .03, respectively). At T12, subjective sexual contentment showed a nonsignificant trend towards decline (p = .074). Patients who opted for medical treatment of ED showed significantly better IIEF-5 scores at both time points compared with the rest of the cohort (p < .001 and p = .005, respectively). In summary, AAT seems to have a negative effect on erectile function in RCC patients, however, the role of psychosocial issues warrants further elucidation. Affected patients may benefit from a proactive approach promoting medical treatment of erectile dysfunction during AAT.     

Is deep dorsal vein arterialization effective in elderly patients?

Objective Arterialization operations of the penis are recommended for young patients with erectile dysfunction (ED). In this study, we investigated the efficiency of deep dorsal vein arterialization (DDVA) in carefully selected healthy elderly patients Patients and methods An initial extensive evaluation with corpus cavernosum electromyography, cavernosometry, and penile doppler ultrasonography was performed for 43 elderly patients with ED for whom the presence of risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, smoking habit, psychiatric or neurologic disorders, liver or kidney failure, and history of major trauma) had been ruled out. All patients underwent to DDVA using the Furlow–Fisher technique. Surgical outcome was tested postoperatively by use of the fifteen-item International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire (IIEF-15). Surgical success was assumed if the score in the five-item version of the IIEF (IIEF-5) had increased by at least five points. Results Of the patients, 21 were detected to have caverno-occlusive disease, 13 had arteriogenic disease, and 9 had both caverno-occlusive and arteriogenic disease. The mean age of the patients was 59.7 ± 4.6 years and the mean follow-up time was 22.1 ± 7.1 months. The operation was successful in 26 cases (60.5%) according to IIEF-5. Total IIEF-15 score was increased from 19.2 ± 5.0 to 28.5 ± 9.4 (P < 0.05). Significant increases were observed in the erectile function, intercourse satisfaction, and overall satisfaction domains of IIEF-15. The preoperative degree of ED or the etiology of ED had no impact on the surgical results. Percent changes in the total IIEF-15 score and in its domains were no different between patients aged <60 and those aged ≥60. Conclusion DDVA could successfully be performed for carefully selected elderly patients as long as the presence of risk factors for ED are ruled out.     

Novel predictive risk factor of erectile dysfunction: Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D

The present study aimed to investigate the association between the severity of erectile dysfunction (ED) and serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D. It also sought to determine the cut-off level of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D for ED. This study included 130 men who had ED between 2018 and 2019. Patients were divided into three groups according to their scores on the international index of erectile function-5 (IIEF-5) Turkish validated short form questionnaire. The serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D results were compared between the groups. The mean age of the patients was 49.28 ± 13.62 years. Groups 1, 2 and 3 included 44 (33.8%) patients with severe ED, 56 (43.1%) patients with moderate ED and 30 (23.1%) patients with mild ED, respectively. Statistical significance was observed between the groups and serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels. A positive correlation was detected between the IIEF-5 scores, serum testosterone and serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels. A cut-off level for serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D was calculated as 27.32 ng/ml. During multivariate analysis, we found that serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels were independent prognostic risk factors for decreased IIEF-5 scores. Decreased serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels were associated with decreased IIEF-5 scores. Therefore, vitamin D replacement therapy may improve symptoms.     

Effects of taking tadalafil 5 mg once daily on erectile function and total testosterone levels in patients with metabolic syndrome

We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of tadalafil 5 mg once‐daily treatment on testosterone levels in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) accompanied by the metabolic syndrome. A total of 40 men with metabolic syndrome were evaluated for ED in this study. All the patients received 5 mg tadalafil once a day for 3 months. Erectile function was assessed using the five‐item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire. Serum testosterone, follicle‐stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone levels were also evaluated, and blood samples were taken between 08.00 and 10.00 in the fasting state. All participants have three or more criteria of metabolic syndrome. At the end of 3 months, mean testosterone values and IIEF scores showed an improvement from baseline values (from 3.6 ± 0.5 to 5.2 ± 0.3, from 11.3 ± 1.9 to 19 ± 0.8 respectively). After the treatment, serum LH levels were decreased (from 5.6 ± 0.6 to 4.6 ± 0.5). There was significantly difference in terms of baseline testosterone and luteinising hormone values and IIEF scores (p < .05). Based on our findings, we recommend tadalafil 5 mg once daily in those men with erectile dysfunction especially low testosterone levels accompanied by metabolic syndrome.     

On-demand use of erectile aids in men with preoperative erectile dysfunction treated by whole gland prostate cryoablation

Prostate cryoablation is an established minimally invasive treatment for localized prostate cancer (PCa). However, the impairment of erectile function (EF) is considered a serious complication of the procedure. To investigate the efficacy of erectile aids following cryotherapy, 93 patients who underwent whole gland prostate cryoablation with required complete medical records were analyzed. The changes in postoperative EF were evaluated using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire. Additionally, independent factors that could have a correlation to the postoperative IIEF-5 score or postoperative Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) score were assessed. In the entire cohort, the mean preoperative IIEF-5 score was 7.0 ± 6.2. A total of 72 (77.4%) patients had moderate-to-severe preoperative erectile dysfunction. In longitudinal investigation, the patients using erectile aids showed the ability to recover to baseline after 24 months from cryoablation compared with the patients not using erectile aids. There were significant differences of IIEF-5 scores between these groups at 24 months (7.5 vs 3.0; P = 0.025) and 36 months (8.5 vs 3.5; P = 0.010). In multivariate analysis, the use of erectile aids correlated with restoration of IIEF-5 scores (odds ratio, 5.11; confidence interval (CI), 1.87-13.96; P < 0.001) and lower EPIC sexual bother (coef, 19.61; CI, 0.32-38.89; P = 0.046). Our data indicate that on-demand use of erectile aids could help restore EF and reduce sexual bother after whole gland prostate cryoablation. Although, erectile aids could not play a role as an adequate treatment for ED after whole gland prostate cryoablation, these results may aid in the decision-making process for PCa patients with preoperative and postoperative ED who have concern about sexual health-related quality of life.     

Influence of Photoselective Vaporization of the Prostate on Sexual Function: Results of a Prospective Analysis of 149 Patients with Long-Term Follow-Up

Background

Even though transurethral resection of the prostate remains the gold standard treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) refractory to medical therapy, photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) has become a popular alternative. Early PVP studies seem encouraging, but few data exist regarding the effect of PVP on sexual function at long-term follow-up.

Objective

Our aim was to evaluate the impact of PVP on erectile function (EF) at long-term follow-up in men with LUTS due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Design, setting, and participants

One hundred forty-nine consecutive patients who underwent a prostate vaporization with the GreenLight laser performed by a single surgeon (FB) were prospectively enrolled in this study.

Intervention

All patients underwent PVP with the GreenLight laser performed by one experienced surgeon.

Measurements

All patients were evaluated by International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 mo and then once a year. At each visit, the questionnaires were collected, and each patient's maximum flow rate and postvoid residual volume were measured with ultrasound. Biologic data were also collected at each visit, including prostate-specific antigen, creatinine, and bacterial urine culture.

Results and limitations

One hundred forty-nine patients were enrolled in the study. Median patient age was 74 yr. Urinary function was significantly improved over baseline in both men with normal or abnormal preoperative erectile function. Energy used was 255 ± 129 kJ. Hospitalization stay was 2.2 ± 3.1 d. Other than a temporary difference at 1 yr, IIEF-5 scores were comparable preoperatively and postoperatively if we consider all the population. However, considering patients with preoperative IIEF-5 >19, the postoperative IIEF-5 scores were significantly decreased at 6, 12, and 24 mo.

Conclusions

Sexual function appears to be maintained after PVP; however, in patients with normal preoperative EF, we showed a significant decrease in EF after PVP.     

The prevalence of erectile dysfunction and its relation to chronic prostatitis in Chinese men

This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and to explore its correlation to chronic prostatitis in China. A cross-sectional investigation from a large cohort study of Chinese men was used in this survey. A questionnaire consisting of general information regarding socio-demographics, chronic disease history, sexual function, the National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index, and the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) was administered to 15 000 Chinese men aged from 15 to 60. The prevalence of ED was determined from the patient's self-evaluation and IIEF-5 score. The eligible individual both was married and had intercourse experience. In total, there were 12 743 respondents, giving a response rate of 84.95%. Among 7372 eligible men, ED prevalence as assessed by self-report and IIEF-5 score was 12.0% and 17.1%, respectively. Among 771 men with prostatitis-like symptoms, ED prevalence as assessed by self-report and IIEF-5 score was 39.3% and 30.1%, respectively. Among 370 men suffering from chronic prostatitis, ED prevalence as assessed by self-report and IIEF-5 score was 40.5% and 35.1%, respectively. The prevalence of self-reported and IIEF-5 score-assessed ED had high correlation with increasing age among all eligible men, men with prostatitis-like symptoms, and men with chronic prostatitis (P(t) < .05, P(s) < .05, P(cp) < .05). ED prevalence as assessed by both self-report and IIEF-5 score was higher in men with prostatitis-like symptoms and with chronic prostatitis than in the general group (P(s) < .05, P(cp) < .05). The prevalence of ED was higher in the prostatitis population than in the general population with either self-reported or IIEF-5 score assessment. The prevalence was higher with self-reported than with IIEF-5 assessment in men with prostatitis. Estimates of ED prevalence among men with prostatitis should not rely on self-reporting alone in that this is likely to overestimate the true prevalence.     

The impact of asexual trait and porn addiction in a young men healthy cohort

In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the association between asexual trait, erectile dysfunction (ED) and porn addiction in a community sample of young men. Between August 2019 and October 2019, a total of 559 young male adults were subjected to an online survey sponsored by social networks with the aim of assessing their sexual habits. The following questionnaires were administered: The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), Masturbation Erection index (MEI), Pornography Craving Questionnaire (PCQ) and Asexuality Identification Scale (AIS). The overall rate of ED according to IIEF-5 was 26.0% (165/478), the rate of ED according to MEI was 16.9% (81/478) and the rate ED in patients with AIS ≥23 indicating asexual trait was 10.0% (48/478). We found that IIEF-5 was positively associated with MEI (b = 0.32; p < .01) and negatively with AIS (b = −0.36; p < .01) and MEI was negatively associated with AIS (b = −0.36; p < .01). We found that MEI (odds ratio [OR]: 0.86; p < .01) and IIEF-5 (OR: 0.89; p < .01) were inversely associated with asexual trait. The presence of asexual trait can hide a greater risk of finding ED both in intercourse or masturbation. These results should be taken into consideration during the general assessment of the patient with sexual problems.     

Erectile function and gonadal hormones levels in men with end‐stage renal disease: It's relevance to duration of haemodialysis

In this study, we evaluated the relationship between haemodialysis (HD) duration and erectile function status and gonadal hormones serum levels in adult men with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD). A total of 118 men with ESRD on chronic HD were eligible for analysis. The erectile dysfunction (ED) was defined and graded according to the international index of erectile function (IIEF‐5) score. The serum levels of follicle stimulating hormones (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH), testosterone (TST), prolactin (PRL) and estradiol (E2) were measured using the standard laboratory technique. The mean age was 48.97 ± 14.68 years and mean duration of HD was 4.58 ± 3.03 years. The overall prevalence of ED was 78.8%; from them 31.2% had severe grade. The prevalence of ED was comparable in HD duration categories [≤5 years (79.7%), 5–10 years (76.5%), >10 years (80.0%); p > 0.05]. The percentage of abnormal serum levels of FSH, LH, TST, PRL, E2 were 5.1%, 1.6%, 18.6%, 90.7% and 0.0% respectively. No significant relationships were observed between HD duration and IIEF‐5 score or gonadal hormones serum levels (p < 0.05). We concluded that HD duration has no effect on erectile function status and gonadal hormones serum levels. Other factors may be relevant to these conditions in this particular group of patients.     

Impact of penile rehabilitation with low-dose vardenafil on recovery of erectile function in Japanese men following nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy

Erectile dysfunction （ED） is a major complication after radical prostatectomy （RP）; however, debatecontinues regarding the efficacy of penile rehabilitation in the recovery of the postoperative erectile function （EF）. This study includeda total of 103 consecutive sexually active Japanese men with localized prostate cancer undergoing nerve-sparing RP, and analyzed the postoperative EF, focusing on the significance of penile rehabilitation. In this series, 24 and 79 patients underwent bilateral and unilateral nerve-sparing RPs, respectively, and 10 or 20 mg of vardenafil was administered to 35 patients at least once weekly, who agreed to undergo penile rehabilitation. Twelve months after RP, 48 （46.6%） of the 103 patients were judged to have recovered EF sufficient for sexual intercourse without any assistance. The proportion of patients who recovered EF in those undergoing penile rehabilitation （60.0%） was significantly greater than that in those without penile rehabilitation （38.2%）. Of several parameters examined, the preoperative International Index of Erectile Function-5 （IIEF-5） score and nerve-sparing procedure were significantly associated with the postoperative EF recovery rates in patients with and without management by penile rehabilitation, respectively. Furthermore, univariate analysis identified the preoperative IIEF-5 score, nerve-sparing procedure and penile rehabilitation as significant predictors of EF recovery, among which the preoperative IIEF-5 score and nerve-sparing procedure appeared to be independently associated with EF recovery. Considering these findings, despite the lack of independent significance, penile rehabilitation with low-dose vardenafil could exert a beneficial effect on EF recovery in Japanese men following nerve-sparing RP.     

Using the Movember Foundation’s GAP3 cohort to measure the effect of active surveillance on patient-reported urinary and sexual function—a retrospective study in low-risk prostate cancer patients

BackgroundActive surveillance (AS) for low-risk prostate cancer (PCa) is intended to overcome potential side-effects of definitive treatment. Frequent prostate biopsies during AS may, however, impact erectile (EF) and urinary function (UF). The objective of this study was to test the influence of prostate biopsies on patient-reported EF and UF using multicenter data from the largest to-date AS-database.MethodsIn this retrospective study, data analyses were performed using the Movember GAP3 database (v3.2), containing data from 21,169 AS participants from 27 AS-cohorts worldwide. Participants were included in the study if they had at least one follow-up prostate biopsy and completed at least one patient reported outcome measure (PROM) related to EF [Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM)/five item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5)] or UF [International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS)] during follow-up. The longitudinal effect of the number of biopsies on either SHIM/IIEF-5 or IPSS were analyzed using linear mixed models to adjust for clustering at patient-level. Analyses were stratified by center; covariates included age and Gleason Grade group at diagnosis, and time on AS.ResultsA total of 696 participants completed the SHIM/IIEF-5 3,175 times, with a median follow-up of 36 months [interquartile range (IQR) 20–55 months]. A total of 845 participants completed the IPSS 4,061 times, with a median follow-up of 35 months (IQR 19–56 months). The intraclass correlation (ICC) was 0.74 for the SHIM/IIEF-5 and 0.68 for the IPSS, indicating substantial differences between participants’ PROMs. Limited heterogeneity between cohorts in the estimated effect of the number of biopsies on either PROM were observed. A significant association was observed between the number of biopsies and the SHIM/IIEF-5 score, but not for the IPSS score. Every biopsy was associated with a decrease in the SHIM/IIEF-5 score of an average 0.67 (95% CI, 0.47–0.88) points.ConclusionsRepeated prostate biopsy as part of an AS protocol for men with low-risk PCa does not have a significant association with self-reported UF but does impact self-reported sexual function. Further research is, however, needed to understand whether the effect on sexual function implies a negative clinical impact on their quality of life and is meaningful from a patient’s perspective. In the meantime, clinicians and patients should anticipate a potential decline in erectile function and hence consider incorporating the risk of this harm into their discussion about opting for AS and also when deciding on the stringency of follow-up biopsy schedules with long-term AS.     

肾移植与血液透析治疗对尿毒症患者阴茎勃起功能影响的临床对照研究

目的:研究对比男性尿毒症患者接受肾移植与接受血液透析治疗勃起功能的变化及与生殖激素水平变化的关系。方法:收集2009年5月至2012年1月在我院门诊进行随访的肾移植男性患者35例、血液透析治疗的尿毒症患者30例,应用国际勃起功能指数(IIEF-5)调查表、夜间勃起功能(NEVA)测定仪评估阴茎勃起功能,同时测定生殖激素水平。结果:接受肾移植手术者勃起功能障碍(ED)患病率为51.4%,血液透析者ED患病率为73.3%(P<0.05);肾移植后的ED患者发病情况要明显轻于单纯血液透析的ED患者;肾移植中重度ED患者(25.7%)要明显少于单纯血液透析者(46.6%);肾移植组中ED患者夜间阴茎勃起次数、勃起强度及持续时间均强于单纯血液透析组ED患者(P<0.05);接受肾移植患者较单纯血液透析血清睾酮水平上升[(4.32±1.37)vs(2.53±1.12)ng/ml,P<0.05],雌二醇[(19.57±2.29)vs(43.38±5.58)pg/m)]和催乳激素[(8.59±1.19)vs(17.22±3.31)mIu/ml]明显下降(P均<0.05)。结论:肾移植受者肾功能良好时其总体勃起功能要优于单纯血液透析的尿毒症患者。     

The effect of COVID-19 epidemic on the sexual function of healthcare professionals

Studies have shown that healthcare professionals struggling with epidemics develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The aim of this study is to show how often and severely erectile dysfunction, one of the components of post-traumatic stress disorder, is seen among healthcare professionals during COVID-19 outbreak. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) were applied to 159 male healthcare professionals working in COVID-19 units and a control group of 200 people. Healthcare professional group was divided into subgroups according to occupation (physician, nurse), age-group (18–25, 26–30, >30), marital status and unit of work (Suspected Patient Area, Diagnosed Patient Area). Both stress disorder and erectile dysfunction were seen at higher rates in healthcare professionals group (p < .001). The median IIEF-5 scores of nurses, married subjects and those working in the Diagnosed Patient Area, were found to be higher (p < .001, p = .014, p = .011 respectively). During the COVID-19 outbreak, healthcare professionals are exposed to psychological trauma and their sexual function may be negatively affected. The measures to be taken are important to estimate which groups are more affected.     

小剂量每日服用他达那非改善勃起功能障碍患者内皮舒张功能及勃起硬度的研究

目的:探讨小剂量每日服用他达那非对改善勃起功能障碍(ED)患者内皮舒张功能及勃起硬度的作用。方法:通过国际勃起功能问卷评分-5(IIEF-5)、勃起硬度分级评分(EHGS)以及肱动脉血流介导的舒张反应(FMD)等方法对24例勃起功能正常者及60例ED患者口服5mg/d他达那非6～8周治疗前后进行评估。结果:51例ED患者完成治疗及随访。与对照组相比,ED患者IIEF-5、EHGS以及FMD明显降低(P均<0.01)。他达那非治疗ED的有效率为96.1%(49/51),治疗后较治疗前IIEF-5、EHGS以及FMD明显改善(P均<0.01)。结论:长期小剂量服用他达那非可明显改善ED患者的血管内皮功能及勃起硬度。