Peyronie's disease in teenagers

Peyronie's disease (PD) is commonly seen in middle-aged men, and little is known about this condition in teenagers.

To investigate the characteristics of PD in teenagers.

The findings were compared between patients with the disease who were teenagers with those over 40 years of age. Statistical analyses were conducted to define differentiating features between these two groups.

The demographics, clinical features, and associated comorbidities of patients with PD were reviewed.

Thirty-two teenaged males were evaluated for PD in a single institution over a 10-year period. The median age for our cohort was 18 (15-19) years. Forty-five percent of patients had already been seen by another urologist, and 28% had been told they did not have PD. The mean duration of PD before seeking medical care in our cohort was 3 ± 1 months. Sixteen percent of patients reported antecedent penile trauma, half of which happened during coitus or masturbation, and 18% of patients had hemoglobin (Hb) A1c levels > 5%. Dupuytren's contracture was not seen in this population. Twenty-two percent of patients presented with penile pain. Subsequent ED was seen in 37% of patients. Multiple noncontiguous plaques were seen in 37% of patients. Twelve percent were previously treated with vitamin E, while another 12% had previous intralesional verapamil. High distress was reported by 94% of patients. Thirty-four percent sought medical attention for anxiety/mood disorder, and 28% had a negative encounter with a sexual partner related to PD. All of the 32 patients had penile curvature with a mean of 32 ± 12 degrees. Seventy-two percent of the patients had dorsal curvature while 22% had an associated deformity. Using duplex Doppler ultrasound, 12% had a calcified plaque, while none of the patients had abnormal hemodynamics. When compared with PD in adults, teenagers had greater than seven times the prevalence of multiple noncontiguous plaques (37% vs. 5%). Also, the prevalence of HbA1c level > 5% was higher in the teenagers as well (18% vs. 5%).

PD does occur in teenagers often causing high distress levels. Compared to older adults, teenagers often present earlier, and more commonly have elevated HbA1c level and increased number of plaques at presentation.