Sleep-related painful erections associated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Sleep-related painful erection is a rare syndrome recognized by reports of painful nocturnal erection, an association between REM sleep and pain, and the absence of pain during wakeful sexual activity. Approximately 30 cases have been reported in the literature. We add two more cases, each of which seemed to be associated with severe sleep apnea. Treatment of the apnea with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device lessened the symptom in both men. Implications of this association are discussed.

[Usefulness of the basic exploration of the upper airways and neighbor structures in patients with adult obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome]. / Utilidad de la exploración básica de la vía aérea superior y estructuras vecinas en los pacientes adultos con síndrome de apnea-hipopnea obstructiva del sueño.

Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a prevalent disease in the general population, associated with an increase in the cardiovascular morbimortality. A basic and/or standardized otolaryngologic exploration could help us to detect the structural abnormalities that alter the upper airway collapsibility and offer a high pre-test risk factor, improve the CPAP adherence or even the possibility of offering alternative treatments. This article offers a revision of the exploration in OSAHS patients. We describe a guideline to identify the main structural abnormalities related to OSAHS. We also include a short algorithm for the diagnosis of OSAHS, when is suspected by primary care physicians.