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. 2011 Aug;34(8):1875-7.
doi: 10.2337/dc11-0070. Epub 2011 Jul 5.

Metabolic syndrome and erectile dysfunction: the ultrasound evaluation of cavernosal atherosclerosis

Mirko Schipilliti  1 , Nicola Caretta, Pierfrancesco Palego, Riccardo Selice, Alberto Ferlin, Carlo Foresta
Affiliations

Metabolic syndrome and erectile dysfunction: the ultrasound evaluation of cavernosal atherosclerosis

Mirko Schipilliti et al. Diabetes Care. 2011 Aug.

Abstract

Objective: To study the relation between metabolic syndrome (MS), cavernosal morphological vasculopathy, and peripheral vascular alterations (carotid and femoral wall) in patients with erectile dysfunction.

Research design and methods: A total of 207 patients and 50 control subjects were evaluated for cardiovascular risk factors, physical examination, reproductive hormones, ultrasound analysis of cavernosal, carotid and femoral arteries (intima-media thickness), and cavernosal flow measurement (peak systolic velocity).

Results: A total of 28% of patients had MS, and they presented with a high prevalence of cavernosal alterations (70.3%) and systemic vascular impairment (59.3%), whereas patients with cavernosal alterations (44%) showed the higher prevalence of MS (48.9%). The number of MS components was related to the prevalence of penile vasculopathy. However, multivariate analysis showed that MS is not an independent predictor for cavernosal vasculopathy.

Conclusions: Patients with cavernosal vasculopathy have an increased cardiometabolic risk, and screening for MS components might identify individuals with a higher risk for cavernosal and systemic atherosclerosis.

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