Abstract

In this open and prospective study, we aimed to evaluate whether sildenafil citrate is useful as a diagnostic tool or not.

82 male patients with erectile dysfunction, who admitted to our andrology polyclinic between July 1999 and May 2000 were included in this study. Each patient underwent comprehensive evaluation consisting of a detailed history, International Index of Erectile Function, physical examination, psychiatric counseling, blood biochemistry panel and testosterone level determinations, an intracavernosal papaverine injection test, penil colour Doppler sonography and some patients underwent DICC. Erectile response to intracavernosal drug injections and sildenafil were categorized from E0 to E5. E4-5 accepted as complete response and E3 accepted as partial response.

Patients mean age was 50.7±1.0 years and the duration of their erectile dysfunction was 3.2±0.3 years. Medical histories of the patients revealed diabetes mellitus in 11 cases (13.4 %), hypertension in 5 cases (6.1 %), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 5 cases (6.1 %), and coronary heart disease in 1 case (1.2 %). Etiologic classification of erectile dysfunction in the 82 patients was as follows: psychogenic in 30 cases (36.6%), corporacavernosal failure in 30 cases (36.6 %), and arterial insufficiency in 22 cases (26.8%). Overall response to sildenafil was 76.6 %. These responses were complete in %58.5 cases and partial in %17.1 cases. Complete response was 50% in vasculogenic group and was 73,3% in psychogenic group. Partial response was 15,4% in vasculogenic group and was 20% in psychogenic group.

As a result, erectile response to sildenafil citrate could not found as an appropriate test for etiologic evaluation of erectile dysfunction.