Efficacy of sildenafil citrate in prostate brachytherapy patients with erectile dysfunction

To ascertain the efficacy of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) either before or after prostate brachytherapy by an open-label, nonrandomized study.

Sixty-two patients who underwent prostate brachytherapy between March 1995 and July 1998, had ED either before or after brachytherapy, and were interested in treatment with sildenafil comprised the patient population. Clinical and treatment parameters evaluated for medication efficacy included patient age at brachytherapy and at medication administration, hypertension, diabetes, smoking history, onset of ED, potency status before implant, frequency of intercourse before brachytherapy (if potent), use of neoadjuvant hormonal manipulation, use of moderate dose external beam radiation therapy before implantation, choice of isotope, V100 (the percentage of the prostate volume receiving at least 100% of the prescribed minimal peripheral dose), and sildenafil dose.

Fifty (80.6%) of 62 patients responded favorably to sildenafil. None of the treatment parameters predicted medication failure, and among the clinical parameters, only diabetes predicted failure (3 of 5) and only with borderline statistical validity (P = 0.046).

Our results suggest brachytherapy-induced impotence is as amenable to sildenafil treatment as ED from other causes. In addition, our 80.6% success rate is comparable to reported results for patients who underwent bilateral nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy and significantly better than patients who underwent unilateral nerve-sparing or non-nerve-sparing approaches.