Men with mild erectile dysfunction benefit from sildenafil treatment

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Pharmacology
• Sexual Medicine

Background:

• Mild erectile dysfunction (ED) lacks specific evaluation in double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.
• The International Index of Erectile Function-erectile function domain (IIEF-EF) score of 22-25 defines mild ED.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of sildenafil in men with mild ED.
• To evaluate treatment satisfaction and sexual function in this population.

Main Methods:

• An eight-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled (DBPC) trial with flexible dosing of sildenafil (25, 50, or 100 mg).
• Followed by a six-week open-label (OL) extension.
• Utilized various questionnaires including EDITS, IIEF, QEQ, GEQs, and event logs to measure outcomes.

Main Results:

• Sildenafil demonstrated superior efficacy compared to placebo across multiple measures.
• Significant improvements were observed in treatment satisfaction (EDITS Index score), erectile function (IIEF-EF), erection hardness (EHS 4), and general efficacy questions.
• In the open-label phase, high satisfaction rates and sustained improvements in sexual function were reported.

Conclusions:

• Sildenafil treatment provides substantial benefits for men experiencing mild erectile dysfunction.
• The medication improves erectile function, sexual satisfaction, and overall sexual performance.