Biomaterial Database

Erectile dysfunction correlates with left ventricular function and precedes cardiovascular events in cardiovascular high-risk patients. 2007

M Baumhäkel, and M Böhm

Klinik für Innere Medizin III, Kardiologie, Angiologie und Internistische Intensivmedizin, Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany. magnus@baumhaekel.de

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is related to cardiovascular risk factors by an impairment of endothelial function. Therefore, symptoms of ED are probably to precede cardiovascular disease and events. Moreover, endothelial dysfunction is common in patients with decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Hence, left ventricular dysfunction probably results in a decreased erectile function. A total of 192 cardiovascular high-risk patients from the EROSS Programme (Evaluation of Role of Sexual Dysfunction in the Saarland Programme) were evaluated regarding onset and severity of ED using the IIEF-5 questionnaire. LVEF was measured with magnetic resonance imaging, angiographically or echocardiographically. Prevalence of ED was 80.6%. Patients with moderate or severe impairment of ejection fraction had a significant increase of ED (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified LV dysfunction as an independent risk factor for ED independent of heart failure symptoms (p = 0.001). Moreover, symptoms of ED appeared 3.04 +/- 7.2 years prior to the cardiovascular event (p = 0.005). LVEF is an independent risk factor for the development or increase of ED in cardiovascular high-risk patients, probably caused by an impairment of endothelial function. Hence, ED is suggested to be an early symptom of generalised cardiovascular disease and events. Thus, cardiovascular evaluation is recommended in patients with ED providing the opportunity of optimised preventional treatment.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D002318	Cardiovascular Diseases	Pathological conditions involving the CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM including the HEART; the BLOOD VESSELS; or the PERICARDIUM.	Adverse Cardiac Event,Cardiac Events,Major Adverse Cardiac Events,Adverse Cardiac Events,Cardiac Event,Cardiac Event, Adverse,Cardiac Events, Adverse,Cardiovascular Disease,Disease, Cardiovascular,Event, Cardiac
D004730	Endothelium, Vascular	Single pavement layer of cells which line the luminal surface of the entire vascular system and regulate the transport of macromolecules and blood components.	Capillary Endothelium,Vascular Endothelium,Capillary Endotheliums,Endothelium, Capillary,Endotheliums, Capillary,Endotheliums, Vascular,Vascular Endotheliums
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D000369	Aged, 80 and over	Persons 80 years of age and older.	Oldest Old
D012307	Risk Factors	An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent.	Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D012720	Severity of Illness Index	Levels within a diagnostic group which are established by various measurement criteria applied to the seriousness of a patient's disorder.	Illness Index Severities,Illness Index Severity