Correlation between erectile function and cardiovascular risk factors by assessing arterial stiffness and myocardial perfusion imaging and carotid artery intima-media thickness.

AIM: Aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between erectile function and cardiovascular risk factors by assessing arterial stiffness and myocardial scintigraphy and carotid artery intima-media thickness.

METHODS: Fifty-nine consecutive asymptomatic men aged 30-86 years, were included. Myocardial scintigraphy, Doppler sonography of carotid artery and arterial stifness parameters were performed. Erectile function was evaluated with a validated erectile function index quesionnaire.

RESULTS: The control group included 18 subjects and the study group included 41 subjects with abnormal IIEF-5 scores. We compared both group's IIEF-5 scores there was significant correlation between IIEF-5 and cholesterol (P<0.05) and HbA1c (P<0.05). Moreover, there was a significant correlation in patients with abnormal IIEF-5 scores and pathologic myocardial perfusion imaging (P<0.05) and triglyceride (P<0.05). A two-factor ANOVA showed two significant interactions patients with abnormal cholesterol and abnormal pulse wave velocity, augmentation index had lower IIEF-5 scores; patients with abnormal triglyceride values, and abnormal Hb1Ac had lower IIEF-5 scores.

CONCLUSION: Eretile dysfunction (ED) prevalence is high in cardiologic patients referred for myocardial nuclear imaging. There is a significant relation between ED, diabetes and hyperlipidemia, and advanced age. Myocardial nuclear scan and arterial stiffness parameters could be used to stratify the cardiovascular risk factors in ED patients.