Association Between Penile Color Doppler Ultrasonography and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Patients With Vascular Erectile Dysfunction. Issue 3 (8th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: De Rocco Ponce, Maurizio; Vecchiato, Marco; Neunhaeuserer, Daniel; Battista, Francesca; Caretta, Nicola; Savalla, Francesco; Favero, Claudia; Garolla, Andrea; Foresta, Carlo; Ermolao, Andrea
• Is Part Of: Sexual medicine. Volume 9:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 100347
• Page End: 100347
• Publication Date: 2021-05-08
• Subjects: Erectile dysfunction -- Penile colordoppler ultrasound -- Cardiorespiratory fitness -- Cardiovascular risk; Sexual disorders -- Periodicals; Sexual health -- Periodicals; 616.69005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.esxm.2021.100347
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-1161

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Vascular erectile dysfunction (ED) is a burdensome condition, associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Peak systolic velocity (PSV) represents the maximum pulse velocity in the cavernous artery measured by a penile color doppler ultrasonography (PCDU) during a pharmacologically induced erection and is considered a reliable parameter for the diagnosis of vascular ED. However, the cut-off value of standard PSV (30 cm/s) provides high sensitivity only in the diagnosis of advanced arteriogenic disease. Thus, an age-adjusted PSV (6.73 + 0.7 x age cm/s) has been proposed to offer a more accurate diagnosis of vascular ED. Aim: In this study it was aimed to answer the following question: "Is there any positive association between indexes of vascular erectile dysfunction and cardiorespiratory fitness?" Main Outcome Measure And Methods: 25 patients with a medical history of ED (median age 55.3 years) underwent PCDU after pharmacological stimulation. Subsequently, a functional evaluation with ECG-monitored, incremental, maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed. Results: Peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak), peak oxygen uptake per body weight (VO2 peak/kg) and Watt/kg correlated with standard PSV, even when corrected for age and BMI (p < 0.05). No differences emerged in cardiopulmonary fitness between pathological and healthy patients (4 vs 21) identified using the standard PSV cut-off. Conversely, the age-adjusted PSV cut-off identified a greater number of patients as pathological (18 vs 7), presenting a significantly lower cardiopulmonary fitness, exercise capacity and efficiency when compared to patients with normal age-adjusted PSV (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: Data showed an age and BMI independent association between vascular disfunction of cavernous artery and cardiopulmonary fitness, a known solid predictor of all-cause and disease-specific mortality. Moreover, the age-adjusted PSV better identified a subgroup of patients with vascular ED presenting impaired cardiorespiratory fitness and thus increased cardiovascular risk.