Relationship between erectile dysfunction and Helicobacter pylori: A prospective controlled pilot study

This study sought to investigate the correlation between Helicobacter pylori (Hp) and arteriogenic erectile dysfunction (ED). This study included 30 patients diagnosed with ED due to penile arterial insufficiency, in accordance with the International Index of Erectile Function scores and penile Doppler ultrasonography results, and 30 healthy individuals without ED in the control group. The levels of fasting blood glucose, serum lipid and C-reactive protein (CRP) were recorded. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that the levels of Hp-specific Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in the patient and control groups were 39.7 ± 23.2 and 21.0 ± 19.8 arbU/ml, respectively (p = .001); the mean CRP levels were 0.3 ± 0.2 and 0.1 ± 0.1 mg/dl, respectively (p = .01). A positive correlation was detected between ED and the levels of Hp-specific IgG and CRP. Further comprehensive studies supporting these preliminary results may facilitate the use of Hp seropositivity as an auxiliary marker in the diagnosis of ED. These findings may also guide future research on the clinical benefits of Hp eradication strategies for the prevention and treatment of ED.