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Scrutiny of cardiovascular risk factors by assessing arterial stiffness in erectile dysfunction patients

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Abstract

Purpose

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an early sign of vascular dysfunction. Studies have reported a correlation between arterial stiffness and cardiovascular events. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association among different criteria for assessing arterial stiffness and cardiovascular risk factors in ED patients.

Methods

Assessment of pulse wave velocity (PWV), pulse pressure (PP), ratio of mitral inflow velocity to early diastolic velocity in the annulus derived by tissue Doppler imaging (E/Et), and intima-medial thickness (IMT) were performed in 200 ED patients.

Results

Linear statistical analysis of the coronary artery disease risk factors revealed that PWV, PP and E/Et were positively correlated with age, duration of diabetes mellitus (DM), and systolic and diastolic blood pressures. PWV and E/Et were positively correlated with waist circumference and number of metabolic syndrome (MS) components. For category-wise analysis, the PWV, PP and E/Et were higher in patients with DM, hypertension and MS. Multiple regression analysis showed that the independent determinants for PWV comprised age, DM, hypertension, and MS; for PP comprised age, hypertension, and MS; for E/Et comprised age and MS; and for IMT comprised only DM.

Conclusions

Thus, PWV, PP and E/Et may be employed as markers to identify ED patients with potential cardiovascular risk factors, including MS and obesity.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Chang Gung Memorial Hospital for financially supporting this research under Contract No. CMRPG 650132.

Conflict of interest statement

There is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 6, Sec. West Chai-Pu Road, Pu-TZ City, Chaiyi Hsien, Taiwan

    Shih-Tai Chang, Jen-Te Hsu, Chang-Min Chung, Kuo-Li Pan, Ju-Feng Hsiao & Yu-Sheng Lin

  2. Chiayi School, Chang Gung Institute of Technology, Chaiyi Hsien, Taiwan

    Shih-Tai Chang, Jen-Te Hsu, Chang-Min Chung, Kuo-Li Pan, Ju-Feng Hsiao & Yu-Sheng Lin

  3. Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan

    Shih-Tai Chang, Jen-Te Hsu, Chang-Min Chung, Kuo-Li Pan, Ju-Feng Hsiao & Yu-Sheng Lin

  4. Section of Health Informatics, Institute of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center and University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chi-Ming Chu

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  1. Shih-Tai Chang
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  2. Chi-Ming Chu
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Correspondence to Shih-Tai Chang.

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Chang, ST., Chu, CM., Hsu, JT. et al. Scrutiny of cardiovascular risk factors by assessing arterial stiffness in erectile dysfunction patients. World J Urol 28, 625–630 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-009-0486-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-009-0486-x

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