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. 2010 Feb;93(3):837-42.
doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.10.034. Epub 2008 Dec 4.

Epinephrine is associated with both erectile dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms

J C Trussell  1 , Allen R Kunselman, Richard S Legro
Affiliations

Epinephrine is associated with both erectile dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms

J C Trussell et al. Fertil Steril. 2010 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) have a higher incidence of insulin resistance (IR) when compared with controls.

Design: Prospective case-control study.

Setting: Academic medical center.

Patient(s): Twenty-nine nondiabetic men aged 18-66 years were enrolled. Of these, 28 completed the study: 17 had ED, and 11 did not.

Intervention(s): Validated ED questionnaires, examination, serum hormones evaluation, and oral glucose tolerance testing.

Main outcome measure(s): Association of IR with ED.

Result(s): The association between worsening degrees of both lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and ED was reaffirmed, as was a potential correlation between the two-epinephrine. There was a negative association between serum levels of epinephrine and scores on the 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction for ED (Spearman correlation coefficient = -0.38). On the other hand, men with ED were not more likely to have IR compared with controls.

Conclusion(s): Epinephrine may be the common link between ED and LUTS.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Correlation between ED and LUTS.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Correlation between epinephrine and ED.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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