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A new proof for the relationship between erectile dysfunction and atherosclerosis: fragmented QRS?

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 32, pages 302–307 (2020)Cite this article

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Abstract

In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), fragmented QRS (fQRS) is a practical marker of myocardial ischemia evaluated on electrocardiography (ECG).The current study investigated the connection between FQRS and erectile dysfunction (ED), which is commonly accepted as an early sign and independent predictor of CAD. The study consisted of a 190 ED patients; 47 of them having severe, 44 moderate, 49 mild-to-moderate, and 50 mild ED, and a control group of 51 otherwise healthy adult men. None of the participants had a history of cardiac disease. There was a significant difference among the groups in terms of fQRS; severe, moderate, and mild-to-moderate ED groups had significantly higher rates of fQRS presence on ECG (27.5%, 23.5%, and 22.5%, respectively) in comparison with those of mild ED and the control groups (13.7% and 12.7%, respectively) (p < 0.001). In patients presenting with ED complaints, a fQRS finding on a simple ECG recording may serve as a first sign of the presence of CAD. As far as we know, the present study is the first in the literature assessing the possible relationship between ED and fQRS. On the ECG, the existence of fQRS was considered to be connected with ED; thus, including this basic parameter into the clinical decisions for ED patients may initiate an extensive diagnostic approach for their underlying cardiovascular diseases.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Mersin Toros State Hospital, Mersin, Turkey

    Mehmet Karabakan

  2. Department of Urology, Erzincan University Mengucek Gazi Research and Training Hospital, Erzincan, Turkey

    Aliseydi Bozkurt & Erkan Hirik

  3. Department of Urology, Mersin Research and Training Hospital, Mersin, Turkey

    Barıs Saylam

  4. Department of Cardiology, Erzincan University Mengucek Gazi Research and Training Hospital, Erzincan, Turkey

    Zafer Kucuksu

  5. Department of Urology, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

    Binhan Kagan Aktas

Authors
  1. Mehmet Karabakan
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  2. Aliseydi Bozkurt
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  3. Barıs Saylam
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  4. Zafer Kucuksu
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  5. Erkan Hirik
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Correspondence to Mehmet Karabakan.

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For this study we have received the local ethics committee approval.

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For this study we have received the local ethics committee approval.

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Karabakan, M., Bozkurt, A., Saylam, B. et al. A new proof for the relationship between erectile dysfunction and atherosclerosis: fragmented QRS?. Int J Impot Res 32, 302–307 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-019-0166-3

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