Abstract

Objective: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a commonly encountered complaint among chronic renal failure (CRF) patients. Uremia, psychogenic factors, neuroendocrinologic disturbances, and atherosclerosis are known etiologic factors that lead to ED in CRF patients. The purpose of the current prospective study was to evaluate clinical properties and laboratory findings that are associated with ED in non-diabetic CRF patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment.

Materials and methods: Male non-diabetic patients with ED undergoing hemodialysis treatment were included in the study. Erectile and sexual functions were evaluated using the  International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire. BUN, creatinine, complete blood count, fasting blood glucose, and lipid levels of all subjects were determined. Penile Doppler ultrasonography (PDU) was performed after intracavernosal injection of 50 mg papaverine HCl.

Results: A total of 28 patients were enrolled in the study. Mean age and IIEF-EF domain scores of the patients was 50.5±10.3 years and 8.5±6.7, respectively. In the correlation analysis, there was a negative correlation between age and all domains of the IIEF (erectile function, EF: p<0.01, r=-0.724; orgasmic function, OF: p<0.01, r=-0.560; sexual desire, SD: p<0.05, r=-0.445; overall satisfaction, OS: p<0.05, r=-0.391 and intercourse satisfaction, IS: p<0.05, r=-0.455). Peak systolic velocities in PDU at 5, 10, and 20 min were also correlated with age (p=0.012, r=-0.428; p=0.008, r=-0.448; and p=0.009, r=-0.447, respectively). Erectile and sexual functions were significantly better in patiens ≤50 years.

Conclusion: In hemodialysis patients, age is a major risk factor for ED development. Increasing age may contribute to ED through age-related damage in penile vascular structures.