Project description:Erectile dysfunction (ED) is often perceived by both patients and sexual partners as a serious problem that can jeopardize quality of life, psychosocial or emotional well-being, and the partnership in the long term. Since their introduction, oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is) have been found to be highly effective and well tolerated, and are available as the first-line therapy for the treatment of ED. Udenafil is one of the selective PDE5Is made available in recent years for the treatment of ED. Udenafil has clinical properties of both relatively rapid onset and long duration of action due to its pharmacokinetic profile, thereby providing an additional treatment option for ED men to better suit individual needs. There is positive evidence that udenafil is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of ED of a broad spectrum of etiologies or severity. Udenafil is as effective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus-associated ED as other PDE5Is. Due to the clinical property of relatively long duration of action, udenafil may be another option in daily dosing treatment for ED, as suggested by its favorable efficacy and safety profile. Most adverse effects reported from clinical trials are mild or moderate in severity, without any serious adverse event, with headache and flushing being the most common. Also, the concomitant use of anti-hypertensive drugs or alpha-1-blockers does not significantly affect the efficacy and safety profile of udenafil. However, additional studies with larger cohorts including prospective, multicenter, comparative studies with patients of different ethnicities are needed to further validate the favorable findings of udenafil in the treatment of ED.
Project description:BackgroundThe underlying etiologies of erectile dysfunction may be manifold. Among them, vasculogenic etiologies are of increasing relevance and are not strictly limited to the elderly population. According to recent study, venogenic erectile dysfunction appears to be even more relevant than arteriogenic erectile dysfunction. Venogenic erectile dysfunction due to venous leakage causes insufficient penile blood retention. Proper diagnosis of venous leakage should include both color Doppler flow analysis and computed tomography cavernosography for adequate patient selection and treatment planning. Besides surgical ligation of penile draining veins, endovascular treatment methods may demonstrate more promising results. Especially endovascular embolization of venous leakage using an anterograde access via deep dorsal penile veins appears to be more beneficial for patients' clinical outcome and awareness of this technique should be raised among endovascular interventionalists.Case presentationA 47-year-old man was diagnosed with venogenic erectile dysfunction due to venous leakage on color Doppler flow analysis and computed tomography cavernosography. He did not respond to PDE-5-inhibitors. This patient demonstrated major venous leakage of paired deep dorsal penile veins via periprostatic veins and internal pudendal veins draining into both iliohypogastric veins. This patient's venous leak was treated with endovascular embolization using an anterograde access via deep dorsal penile veins.ConclusionThis patient's erectile dysfunction due to venous leakage, based on findings in color Doppler flow analysis and computed tomography cavernosography, was embolized using an anterograde access via deep dorsal penile veins as a minimally-invasive endovascular treatment option.
Project description:Erectile dysfunction is a multidimensional but common male sexual dysfunction that involves an alteration in any of the components of the erectile response, including organic, relational and psychological. Roles for nonendocrine (neurogenic, vasculogenic and iatrogenic) and endocrine pathways have been proposed. Owing to its strong association with metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, cardiac assessment may be warranted in men with symptoms of erectile dysfunction. Minimally invasive interventions to relieve the symptoms of erectile dysfunction include lifestyle modifications, oral drugs, injected vasodilator agents and vacuum erection devices. Surgical therapies are reserved for the subset of patients who have contraindications to these nonsurgical interventions, those who experience adverse effects from (or are refractory to) medical therapy and those who also have penile fibrosis or penile vascular insufficiency. Erectile dysfunction can have deleterious effects on a man's quality of life; most patients have symptoms of depression and anxiety related to sexual performance. These symptoms, in turn, affect his partner's sexual experience and the couple's quality of life. This Primer highlights numerous aspects of erectile dysfunction, summarizes new treatment targets and ongoing preclinical studies that evaluate new pharmacotherapies, and covers the topic of regenerative medicine, which represents the future of sexual medicine.
Project description:Stem cells are defined by their capacity for both self-renewal and directed differentiation; thus, they represent great promise for regenerative medicine. Historically, stem cells have been categorized as either embryonic stem cells (ESCs) or adult stem cells (ASCs). It was previously believed that only ESCs hold the ability to differentiate into any cell type, whereas ASCs have the capacity to give rise only to cells of a given germ layer. More recently, however, numerous studies demonstrated the ability of ASCs to differentiate into cell types beyond their tissue origin. The aim of this review was to summarize contemporary evidence regarding stem cell availability, differentiation, and more specifically, the potential of these cells in the diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in both animal models and human research. We performed a search on PubMed for articles related to definition, localisation and circulation of stem cells as well as the application of stem cells in both diagnosis and treatment of ED. Strong evidence supports the concept that stem cell therapy is potentially the next therapeutic approach for ED. To date, a large spectrum of stem cells, including bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, adipose tissue-derived stem cells and muscle-derived stem cells, have been investigated for neural, vascular, endothelial or smooth muscle regeneration in animal models for ED. In addition, several subtypes of ASCs are localized in the penis, and circulating endogenous stem cells can be employed to predict the outcome of ED and ED-related cardiovascular diseases.
Project description:Background:Sexual problems are common in male lung cancer survivors. However, the development of erectile dysfunction (ED) in lung cancer patients after surgery has been rarely explored. In this study, we aimed to explore the incidence and risk factors of ED after lung cancer surgery. Methods:From 2000 to 2012, 6025 and 24,100 male patients were included in each matched cohort of lung cancer and non-lung cancer patients, respectively. Poisson regression analysis was used to calculate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results:The incidence of ED was higher in the lung cancer cohort compared to the non-lung cancer cohort (38.47 vs 28.28 per 10,000 person-years) with an adjusted IRR (aIRR) of 1.34 (95% CI: 1.06-1.70, p=0.014) after the confounders were adjusted for. An increased incidence of ED was observed in the lung cancer cohort aged 40-54 years (aIRR: 5.44, 95% CI: 2.25-13.15, p<0.001), 55-64 years (aIRR: 3.62, 95% CI: 1.61-8.17, p=0.002) years, and anxiety (aIRR: 2.99, 95% CI: 1.81-4.94, p<0.001). In addition, a higher incidence of emergency room (ER) visits (aIRR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.98-2.42, p<0.001) was observed in lung cancer patients with ED compared to those without ED. Conclusion:Our study results suggested that early surveillance and intervention of ED should be advocated in lung cancer patients after surgery.
Project description:Patients may turn to social media websites, such as Reddit, for information on erectile dysfunction prior to seeking care from a physician. We sought to identify, characterize, and assess the quality of the erectile dysfunction treatments discussed on the highly influential Reddit website. We assessed 2634 comments from two subreddits, r/AskMen and r/ErectileDysfunction, for positive and negative statements regarding treatments for erectile dysfunction. A total of 45 unique treatments were discussed and consisted of changes in sexual behavior (30%), lifestyle changes (29%), medical interventions (23%), talking with a partner about ED (10%), and use of supplements (8%). Only 24.4% of all treatments discussed are in line with current American Urological Association guidelines. Only 43.8% of all positive statements made endorsed a guidelines-based treatment, indicating a high rate of self-proclaimed success with alternative therapies. Our results indicate that there is active discussion of erectile dysfunction treatment on Reddit with a wide range of therapies recommended, however, the majority of the recommendations are not supported by strong clinical evidence.
Project description:BackgroundMen with erectile dysfunction often have concurrent medical conditions. Conversely, men with these conditions may also have underlying erectile dysfunction. The prevalence of unrecognized erectile dysfunction in men with comorbidities commonly associated with erectile dysfunction was determined in men invited to participate in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of sildenafil citrate.MethodsMen ≥30 years old presenting with ≥1 erectile dysfunction risk factor (controlled hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, metabolic syndrome, stable coronary artery disease, diabetes, depression, lower urinary tract symptoms, obesity [body mass index ≥30 kg/m2] or waist circumference ≥40 inches), and not previously diagnosed with erectile dysfunction were evaluated. The screening question, "Do you have erectile dysfunction?," with responses of "no," "yes," and "unsure," and the Erectile Function domain of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) were administered.ResultsOf 1084 men screened, 1053 answered the screening question and also had IIEF-EF scores. IIEF-EF scores indicating erectile dysfunction occurred in 71% (744/1053), of whom 54% (399/744) had moderate or severe erectile dysfunction. Of 139 answering "yes," 526 answering "unsure," and 388 answering "no," 96%, 90%, and 36%, respectively, had some degree of erectile dysfunction. The mean±SD (range) number of risk factors was 2.9 ± 1.7 (3-8) in the "yes" group, 3.2 ± 1.7 (3-9) in the "unsure" group, and 2.6 ± 1.5 (2-8) in the "no" group.ConclusionAlthough awareness of having erectile dysfunction was low, most men with risk factors had IIEF-EF scores indicating erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction should be suspected and assessed in men with risk factors, regardless of their apparent level of awareness of erectile dysfunction.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00343200.
Project description:ObjectivesTo examine the experiences of men after treatment for colorectal cancer, identify barriers to accessing services, and suggest improvements to providing information in primary and secondary care.DesignSemistructured, qualitative interview study with purposive sampling and thematic analysis.Participants28 patients treated for colorectal cancer.SettingWest Midlands.ResultsMost men treated for colorectal cancer experience erectile dysfunction as a consequence. Not all, however, want the same response from health professionals. Although, erectile dysfunction is profoundly stressful for most men, affecting self image, behaviour, and relationships, some do not regard it as a health priority. Many of the men were uninformed about erectile dysfunction and were unprepared for it, and the majority neither helped themselves nor asked for help. Almost none were receiving adequate, effective, and affordable care. Evidence of ageism was strong.ConclusionsUnlike patients with prostate cancer, men with colorectal cancer are not routinely offered information and treatment for erectile dysfunction. Greater coordination of care and consistent strategies are needed to tackle the unmet needs of this widely diverse patient group. Currently, clinicians are inadvertently neglecting, misleading, and offending such patients; better training could improve this situation, as might the reorganisation of services. Further research is needed to determine whether trained clinical nurse specialists in colorectal cancer units could coordinate ongoing care.