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Relation of C-reactive protein and other cardiovascular risk factors to penile vascular disease in men with erectile dysfunction

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 15, pages 231–236 (2003)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 16 October 2003

Abstract

Erectile dysfunction (ED) may be an early sign or symptom of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We examined the relation of traditional and emerging risk factors for CVD to the severity of penile vascular disease in men with ED and without clinical coronary artery disease (CAD). In total, 137 men with ED were evaluated for penile vascular disease severity by penile Doppler ultrasound. These men were divided into the following groups based on ultrasound results: normal, cavernous venous occlusive disease, mild arterial insufficiency, and severe arterial insufficiency. Traditional (fasting lipid panel, fasting glucose, age, BMI, smoking, Framingham coronary artery disease risk score) and emerging (C-reactive protein, Lp(a), homocysteine) risk factors for CVD were correlated to severity of penile vascular disease in men with ED and without clinical CAD. Using univariate analysis, penile Doppler groups showed significant positive correlation to CRP (r=0.21; P<0.05) and age (r=0.30; P<0.01). For CRP, this correlation remained significant even when adjusted for age (P<0.05). Men displaying evidence of penile arterial disease (mild and severe arterial insufficiency) were characterized by elevated CRP levels (0.17 mg/dl) compared to men with no evidence of arterial abnormalities in the penis (0.04 mg/dl). CRP levels correlate significantly with increasing severity of penile vascular disease as measured by penile Doppler.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Minnesota, St Paul Heart Clinic, St Paul, Minnesota, USA

    AJ Bank, AS Kelly & RA Wetterling

  2. Edina, Minnesota, USA

    KL Billups

  3. Medtronic, Inc, USA

    DR Kaiser

  4. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology MMC 609, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    MY Tsai

  5. Fairview University Laboratory, Minneapolis, MMC198, Minnesota, USA

    N Hanson

Authors
  1. AJ Bank
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  2. KL Billups
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  4. AS Kelly
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  5. RA Wetterling
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  6. MY Tsai
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  7. N Hanson
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Correspondence to AJ Bank.

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Bank, A., Billups, K., Kaiser, D. et al. Relation of C-reactive protein and other cardiovascular risk factors to penile vascular disease in men with erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 15, 231–236 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3901012

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3901012

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