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Sexual dysfunction in patients under dialytic treatment.
G Dachille1, V Pagliarulo, G M Ludovico
1Unit of Emergency Medicine and Organ Transplantation, Department of Urology, Polyclinic of Bari, Bari, Italy. gdach72@libero.it
Summary
Sildenafil significantly improved erectile function in 90.5% of dialysis patients, while apomorphine was effective in only 14%. This study highlights sildenafil as a superior treatment option for erectile dysfunction in renal failure patients.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Urology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Erectile dysfunction (ED) is highly prevalent in patients with renal failure, often linked to dialysis and long-term treatments.
- Recent advancements have introduced effective oral ED medications, necessitating clinical evaluation in specific patient populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively evaluate the efficacy of sildenafil and apomorphine in treating ED among patients undergoing dialysis.
- To compare the therapeutic outcomes of sildenafil versus apomorphine using standardized efficacy measures.
Main Methods:
- A prospective trial involving 42 dialysis patients (40 hemodialysis, 2 peritoneal dialysis) with ED.
- Patients received sildenafil (25mg, 50mg, 100mg) and apomorphine (3mg), with efficacy assessed by the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and Life Satisfaction tests before and after each treatment.
Main Results:
- Sildenafil demonstrated significant efficacy, improving IIEF scores in 90.5% of patients across various dosages.
- Apomorphine showed limited effectiveness, with only 14% of patients experiencing mild improvement at the 3mg dose.
- Four patients did not respond to sildenafil and required alternative treatment (PgE1).
Conclusions:
- Sildenafil is a statistically superior and highly effective treatment for ED in dialysis patients compared to apomorphine.
- The findings support the use of sildenafil for managing erectile dysfunction in individuals with renal failure undergoing dialysis.