Association between serum folic acid level and erectile dysfunction.

This study measured the serum folic acid (FA) level in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) and evaluated the possible association between the serum FA level and erectile function. The study divided 120 patients with ED into 3 groups of 40 patients each: those with severe, moderate and mild ED. Forty healthy men served as controls. Fasting serum samples were obtained, and the total testosterone, cholesterol and FA levels were measured using chemiluminescent immunoassays. There were no significant differences in the mean age, mean body mass index or mean serum total testosterone and cholesterol levels among the three ED groups and controls (P > 0.05). The mean serum FA concentrations were 7.2 ± 3.7, 7.1 ± 3.2, 10.2 ± 4.6 and 10.7 ± 4.6 ng ml(-1) in the severe, moderate and mild ED and control groups respectively. The mean serum FA concentration was significantly higher in the control group than in the severe and moderate ED groups (both P < 0.001), but not the mild ED group (P = 0.95). Considering the significant differences in the serum FA levels between the control and ED groups, serum FA deficiency might reflect the severity of ED.

Association between serum fetuin-A level and erectile function.

Recent studies have shown that ED is an early symptom of atherosclerosis. Fetuin-A, a glycoprotein secreted by the liver, kidneys and choroid plexus, has been linked to systemic fibrosis and calcification in human and rat studies. Deficiency of this compound may play a role in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease progression. The aim of the study was to examine whether serum fetuin-A level is related to erectile function or severity of ED. Sixty ED patients without cardiovascular disease were assigned to one of the three groups (mild, moderate or severe ED) depending on ED severity. Twenty healthy volunteers were included as the control group. The International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire was used to measure erection quality in all four groups. Mean age, body mass index, total testosterone, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels did not significantly differ between the three erectile dysfunction and control groups (P > 0.05). The group with severe ED had a significantly lower mean fetuin-A level than the mild ED and control groups. For both mild and moderate ED groups, the mean serum fetuin-A level was significantly lower in comparison with the control group (P < 0.001). Serum fetuin-A level may be used as a supplemental biochemical parameter in preliminary evaluation of ED.

Is there a concordance between carotid and penile cavernosal artery intima-media thickness in patients with erectile dysfunction?

This study aimed to investigate the predictive accuracy of carotid and cavernosal Doppler ultrasound findings for discriminating patients with vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED). Fifty patients with complaints of ED were included. B-mode ultrasound of bilateral carotid arteries were performed and peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV) and intima-media thickness (IMT) values were measured. Afterwards, corresponding values of cavernosal arteries were obtained by penile color duplex ultrasonography (P-CDU). Of total 50 patients, 29 (58%) were included in vasculogenic ED group and 21 (42%) in non-vasculogenic ED group according to P-CDU findings. There was a significant difference between groups for cavernosal IMT (P=0.012) but not for carotid IMT (P=0.601). When patients were reclassified according to carotid IMT values (IMT of the first group <0.9 mm and the second ≥0.9 mm), carotid PSV and EDV values were different (P=0.033 and 0.018, respectively). Cavernosal PSV and EDV displayed no difference (P=0.816 and 0.123) while cavernosal IMT and percent change of cavernosal caliper were significantly different (P=0.014 and 0.018). Carotid PSV and EDV successfully mirrored respective measurements in cavernosal artery. However, carotid IMT failed to demonstrate such a correlation. Cavernosal IMT seems promising as an additional tool in the evaluation of cavernosal function.