1. ¹Department of Histology, Microbiology and Medical Biotechnologies, Centre for Male Gamete Cryopreservation, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
2. ²Department of Social, Cognitive and Quantitative Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

Correspondence: Dr C Foresta, Department of Histology, Microbiology, and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, Padova 35121, Italy. E-mail: carlo.foresta@unipd.it

Received 2 December 2004; Revised 5 January 2005; Accepted 18 January 2005; Published online 1 December 2005.

Abstract

Recently it has been reported that there is a strict correlation between erectile dysfunction (ED) and cardiovascular diseases, but the importance of such relationship still needs to be addressed. Ultrasonographic peak systolic velocity (PSV), is considered a reliable parameter for the diagnosis of arteriogenic ED. However, the cut-off value of PSV<30 cm/s has sufficient sensitivity only in the diagnosis of advanced arteriogenic ED and it is not representative of peripheral vascular alterations. In the present study, we set up an age-adjustment of PSV – calculated with the formula PSV <6.73+age 0.7 – that permits a more accurate diagnosis of vascular aetiology in ED patients and may predict the presence of carotid wall alterations. We studied 179 consecutive subjects (mean age 52 years, range 23–79 years), with a history of ED of at least 6 months, by means of penile colour doppler ultrasonography (P-CDU) and common carotid arteries colour doppler ultrasonography (CCA-CDU) between June 2003 and September 2004. Statistical analysis was carried out with the statistical software R. PSV and CCAD values showed a statistically significant negative correlation. Age adjustment further improved this relationship permitting to identify an age-dependent PSV cut-off given by the formula PSV <6.73+age 0.7. The age-adjusted PSV cut-off allows an accurate interpretation of vascular aetiology in ED patients and predicts the presence of carotid wall alterations, from the intima-media pathologic thickness to the plaque formation, with high values of both sensitivity and specificity.