Vardenafil improved erectile function in a "real-life" broad population study of men with moderate to severe erectile dysfunction in Australia and New Zealand

Practical Approaches to Treat ED in PDE5i Nonresponders

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common sexual disorder in adult males and one of the most important factors affecting their quality of life and that of their partners. Although PDE5 inhibitors (PDE5is) are the first choice for improving erectile function, there is a substantial proportion of ED patients, termed PDE5i nonresponders, who do not respond to PDE5is. Because of the lack of effective therapies, these patients always have serious social and psychological problems due to ED, which should be addressed. Here, we review the available literature about ED and PDE5is and propose several strategies for mitigating ED in PDE5i nonresponders.

Efficacy and safety of once-daily tadalafil in men with erectile dysfunction who reported no successful intercourse attempts at baseline

INTRODUCTION

Tadalafil is efficacious and well tolerated for erectile dysfunction (ED), but effects in men with "complete ED" are unclear.

AIM

To investigate effects of once-daily tadalafil in men with no successful intercourse attempts at baseline.

METHODS

Through a post hoc, pooled-data analysis of four randomized, double-blind trials on the effects of tadalafil 2.5 or 5 mg (vs. placebo) in men with ED, we evaluated efficacy and safety in subjects with 0 "yes" responses to Sexual Encounter Profile question 3 (SEP3) during an initial 4-week treatment-free run-in period.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Changes from baseline in the SEP diary and the International Index of Erectile Function-erectile function (IIEF-EF) domain were subjected to analysis of covariance models.

RESULTS

Five hundred ninety-five subjects with no successful attempts at baseline were included in the analysis. The mean (± standard deviation) age was 58.2 ± 10.7 years; and most subjects had ED for ≥ 1 year (95.0%). ED was severe in 61.5% and moderate in 26.4%. Approximately 45% had diabetes mellitus or hypertension. After 12 weeks, the mean per-patient SEP3 percentage increased from 0% to 32.4% with tadalafil 2.5 mg and to 46.4% with tadalafil 5 mg (each P < 0.001 vs. placebo). Corresponding data for successful penetration (SEP2) were increases from 21.1% to 48.2% with tadalafil 2.5 mg and from 24.4% to 66.2% with 5 mg (each P < 0.001 vs. placebo). Mean IIEF-EF increased from 9.7 to 15.7 with tadalafil 2.5 mg and from 10.7 to 19.2 with 5 mg (each P < 0.001 vs. placebo). Tadalafil also significantly improved the intercourse-satisfaction and overall-satisfaction domains (vs. placebo). Both doses of tadalafil were generally well tolerated, with adverse event rates similar to placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

The posttreatment intercourse success rate was 32% and 46% for tadalafil 2.5 mg and 5 mg, respectively, in men with no successful intercourse attempts at baseline.

Prevalence and correlates of erectile dysfunction (ED) and treatment seeking for ED in Asian Men: the Asian Men's Attitudes to Life Events and Sexuality (MALES) study

INTRODUCTION

There have been limited multiregional studies in Asia examining the parameters of men's general and sexual health and quality of life in the general population vs. those in clinical cohorts of patients with erectile dysfunction (ED).

AIMS

The aims of the Asian Men's Attitudes to Life Events and Sexuality (Asian MALES) study were to investigate the prevalence of ED, associated health conditions, and ED treatment-seeking patterns in the general male population in five regions of Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Taiwan).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Standardized questionnaire previously used in a similar multiregional study and modified to ensure culturally appropriate content for Asia.

METHODS

Phase I of the study involved 10,934 adult men, aged 20-75 years, who were interviewed using the standardized questionnaire. Phase II of the study involved men with self-reported ED recruited from Phase I and via physician referral, invitations in general practitioner offices, and street interception (total Phase II sample, N = 1,209).

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of self-reported ED in the Phase I study population was 6.4%. ED prevalence varied by region and significantly increased with age (P < 0.01). Men with ED reported significantly greater rates of comorbid illness (P < 0.0001) and a reduced quality of life (P = 0.0001), compared with men without ED. Phase II of the study revealed that fewer than half of men with self-reported ED had sought treatment for their problem. Men were more likely to seek help for erection difficulties from Western doctors than from traditional medicine practitioners (P = 0.0001). A man's partner/spouse was the most common influencer of treatment seeking in all regions except Malaysia.

CONCLUSION

The findings confirm those of existing research on ED in both Asian and non-Asian males: ED is a prevalent condition; the prevalence of ED increases with age and is strongly associated with comorbid conditions; and the majority of men have never sought treatment for their condition. This study highlights a substantial need for the evaluation and treatment of ED in Asian men.