Published-Ahead-of-Print October 4, 2006, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.106.001313
Journal of Andrology, Vol. 28, No. 2, March/April 2007
Copyright © American Society of Andrology
DOI: 10.2164/jandrol.106.001313
Penile Oxygen Saturation in the Flaccid and Erect Penis in Men With and Without Erectile Dysfunction
PRIYA PADMANABHAN AND
ANDREW R. MCCULLOUGH
From the Department of Urology, New York University School of Medicine,
New York, New York.
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Correspondence to: Dr Andrew McCullough, New York University School of
Medicine, Department of Urology, 150 East 32 Street, New York, NY 10012
(e-mail:
andy.mccullough{at}nyumc.org). |
It is believed that a chronic state of corporal oxygen desaturation or
hypoxemia secondary to the loss of nocturnal erections is a fundamental
pathophysiological cause of erectile dysfunction (ED). Limited invasive blood
gas measurements in human models have shown decreased oxygen tension in
vasculogenic impotence. Normative data on flaccid and erect oxygen saturation
(StO2) levels are lacking due to the invasive nature of blood gas
determinations. Our objective was to determine StO2 in the flaccid
and erect penis in men with and without ED using a tissue oximeter. This
FDA-approved instrument provides instantaneous, noninvasive, painless local
tissue StO2 measurements, which highly correlate to blood gas data.
The study population included 171 men (1890 years) who presented to one
andrologist. They completed the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) based
on pharmacologically unassisted erectile function and had penile
StO2 measurements taken. 64 of these men had repeat measurements
after PGE-1 induced erections. There are significant differences (P
< .001) in corporal and glanular StO2 in the flaccid (right
corpora, 45.23%; left corpora, 52.50%) and erect state (right corpora, 76.58;
left corpora, 80.42). Men with ED (right corpora, 45.04% vs 53.58%; P
= .02; and left corpora, 50.95% vs 58.78%; P = .03) have
significantly lower corporal penile StO2. Future prospective data
collection can correlate penile StO2 in specific populations, such
as diabetics and RRP patients. This may help further elucidate the
relationship between corporal hypoxia and the development and progression of
ED and possibly its treatment and prevention.
Key words: Corporal oxygen saturation, tissue oximeter
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Copyright © 2007 by The American Society of Andrology.