Korean J Urol.  2007 Jan;48(1):24-28. 10.4111/kju.2007.48.1.24.

Effects of Prostate Volume and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms on Erectile Function

• Oh SY
• Min KS
• Choi SH

• KMID: 1915016
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4111/kju.2007.48.1.24

Abstract

PURPOSE: To assess whether the prostate volume and two types of lower urinary tract symptoms independently affect erectile function. MATERIALS AND MATHODS: One hundred and fifty two men, who visited outpatient department of Urology and health examination center, were investigated using validated symptom scales, including International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS) and International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5). The Prostate volume was measured by one examiner using transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS). The correlations between the IIEF-5, emptying and storage symptoms of IPSS, prostate volume and age were subjected to univariate and multivariate analyses.
RESULTS
The mean age, prostate volume, and IPSS and IIEF-5 scores were 54.0+/-10.6 years (31-77), 29.1+/-20.4cm(3) (7.9-170.0), and 15.1+/-9.4 (1-35) and 14.6+/-7.1 (1-25), respectively. From the univariate analysis, significant correlations were found between the IPSS and IIEF-5 scores, and the prostate volume and IIEF-5 score, and the age and IIEF-5. When the data were subjected to a multivariate analysis, statistically significant correlations were still observed between the IPSS and IIEF-5 scores and the age and IIEF-5 score, but not between the prostate volume and IIEF-5 score. Furthermore, the storage symptoms of IPSS affected erectile function, with statistical significance, whereas the emptying symptoms did not.
CONCLUSIONS
In patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, lower urinary tract symptoms, especially storage symptoms and age, caused decreases in erectile function. However, the prostate volume itself did not reduce erectile function.

Keyword

Erectile function; Prostate volume; Urinary tract

MeSH Terms

Humans
Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms*
Male
Multivariate Analysis
Outpatients
Prostate*
Prostatic Hyperplasia
Ultrasonography
Urinary Tract
Urology
Weights and Measures

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Mean prostate volume, International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) score and International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS) for each age group. The values are expressed as the mean±SD. *: p<0.05 vs 41-50; †: p<0.05 vs >71; ‡: p<0.05 vs >71; §: p<0.05 vs <40; ∥: p<0.05 vs <40, 41-50; ¶: p<0.05 vs 51-60 (ANOVA with Scheffe post hoc test).

• 

  Fig. 2 Simple linear regression analysis between the age and IIEF-5 score (A), the prostate volume and IIEF-5 score (B) and the IPSS and IIEF-5 scores (C). (A) Increasing age decreased the IIEF-5 score, with statistical significance (y=-0.429x+37.742, F-ratio=102.94, p<0.001). (B) Increasing prostate volume decreased the IIEF-5 score, with statistical significance (y=-0.124x+18.193, F-ratio=21.56, p<0.001). (C) Increasing IPSS score decreased the IIEF-5 score, with statistical significance (y=-0.417x+20.864, F-ratio=64.93, p<0.001).

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