Erectile Dysfunction in Young Myocardial Infarction Survivors: Evaluation, Follow Up

Reliability and Validity Evidence for Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale Among Filipino Men: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Background and Purpose: It is essential to address sexual health to ensure quality of life and sexual well-being; however, studies to measure sexual attitudes remain scarce. This study aimed to find reliability and validity evidence of the Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale (BSAS) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) among Filipino men. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Results: BSAS shows coefficient alpha of 0.90. CFA demonstrates goodness of fit (adjusted goodness-of-fit index = .82; goodness-of-fit index = .86; comparative fit index = .91; incremental fit index = .91; expected cross-validation index = 2.27; root mean square error of approximation = .08; [χ2 (213) = 927.45, p ≤ .001], χ2/df ratio = 4.35). Conclusions: BSAS is a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess sexual attitudes among Filipino men. Further research is needed to evaluate sexual attitudes in the promotion of sexual health across cultures.

Detection of 94 PDE-5is and Their Analogs Including N-Desmethylthiosildenafil in Various Formulations of Dietary Supplements and Food Samples Using HPLC and LC-Q-TOF/MS

Consumption of foods and dietary supplements (DS) adulterated with unprescribed or non-permitted phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) and their analogs can cause serious risk to human health. This study aims to analyze 93 PDE-5i and their analogs present in adulterated foods and DS using an established and validated method involving high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The method was validated in solid and liquid samples, resulting in a limit of detection and quantitation of 0.03-0.5 and 0.08-1.6 μg/mL, respectively. Using the validated method, a total of 404 samples were screened. It was found that 32% of 404 samples were illegally adulterated with PDE-5i and their analogs; moreover, 16.9% of the adulterated samples were found to contain more than three compounds. HPLC-quadrupole-time-of-flight (TOF)/mass spectrometry (MS) analysis was conducted on all the samples to confirm the detected compounds accurately based on fragmentation ion patterns. In addition, sildenafil and tadalafil were detected from the capsule shells of DS unusually. Subsequently, the detected compounds were identified and quantified using HPLC at concentrations ranging from 0.007 to 370.0 mg/g. NMR analysis was carried out to confirm the accurate chemical structure of a compound found during the TOF/MS analysis, which did not match with the 93 reference standards.; it was identified to be N-desmethylthiosildenafil. In this study, various PDE-5i compounds and their analogs were detected from low to high concentrations in a sample. Therefore, the study sheds light on the misuse of PDE-5i and their analogs in consumable products, which pose a severe threat to public health.

Is the History of Erectile Dysfunction a Reliable Risk Factor for New Onset Acute Myocardial Infarction? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) occurs as a manifestation of coronary atherosclerotic disease. The occurrence of erectile dysfunction (ED) following AMI is well documented and this association and pathophysiology is often interrelated. Few studies have objectively assessed the diagnostic value of ED as a risk factor for AMI, in general. In this review, we aimed to better outline the diagnostic predictability of ED as a precursor for 'first/new onset' AMI. This review was performed using selective search terms, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines. The Cochrane, Embase, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched (September 2018). Selected studies were further assessed for relevance and quality (Critical Appraisal Skills Program tool-Oxford). Four studies [573 participants; mean 143 (SD ± 76.3604) and median 141 participants] were eligible for analysis. Meta-analysis of the studies resulted in a pooled sensitivity of 51.36% (95% CI: 47.37-55.33%). For the single study which reported true negative and false positive cases, a specificity of 76.53% (95% CI: 68.57-83.00%) was calculated. The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that a history of ED should be used as a risk factor for new onset AMI.

What Do We Know About Young Adult Cardiac Patients' Experience? A Systematic Review

Background: Studies interested in patients coping with a cardiac illness usually focus on children, teenagers, and adults above the age of 55. Apart from the field of congenital heart diseases, there is a general lack of literature regarding young adult cardiac patients (18-55 years old) who seem to cope with psychosocial issues. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to gather all the research carried out concerning the psychological experiences of young adult cardiac patients. Methods and Results: A comprehensive, systematic review was conducted on quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies in PsycINFO, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library databases. Out of the 10,747 articles found, 32 were included. While we aimed to include many cardiac diseases, coronary patients dominated the data. Five main themes emerged: emotional states (depression, anxiety, emotional distress, and stress), quality of life (health-related quality of life, physical functioning, and sexuality), adjusting to the medical environment (coping with the disease, health behavior change, financial barriers, and interactions with medical professionals), social life (social support and work), and identity (parenthood, new challenges, and new meanings). The results highlighted that their levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and quality of life were sometimes worse than in the general population and than in older and younger patients coping with a cardiac illness. Social isolation, identity changes, work, and parenthood were the specific challenges that this population had to face. Furthermore, young adult cardiac patients showed worse health behavior profiles than the general population and felt that they lacked information from professionals, especially regarding sexuality. Compared to men, women had worse psychosocial outcomes, especially regarding depression, stress, emotional distress, and quality of life. Conclusions: Young adult cardiac patients are to be considered with their own identity and challenges. They may be in need of specific interventions, some dedicated to women, and better communication is necessary with their families and professional caregivers so as to improve the patient's mental health, quality of life, coping skills, and adherence.

Sexual health in Polish elderly men with coronary artery disease: importance, expectations, and reality

Deterioration in overall health, hormonal disturbances, and erectile dysfunction (ED) contributes to limitations in sexual activity in the elderly, which is further limited by incorrect beliefs about the hazards of sexual activity in cardiac patients. We aimed to analyze the occurrence of ED in elderly men, their perception of the relevance of good sexual function, and their expectations of physicians. A cross-sectional study encompassed 731 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) subjected to cardiac rehabilitation. Demographic data and data on modifiable risk factors and patient expectations were collected. ED was assessed using the IIEF-5 questionnaire. Relationships among the risk factors for ED, occurrence of ED, and patient expectations, as well as the changes in the indicators between 2012 and 2016, were analyzed. The mean age of men was 70.7 ± 5.1 years. The prevalence of ED was 93.0%. The IIEF-5 score was significantly associated with age, tobacco smoking, exercise tolerance, time to diagnosis of CAD, and treatment with calcium channel blockers and diuretics. Patients declared that sexual activity was overall important (47.9%) or very important (25.6%). Three hundred and sixty (49.3%) patients expected their physician to show interest in their sexual health, but the topic was addressed in only 12.5%. Over the past few years, we have observed an increase in the awareness and importance of sexual health as well as a significant increase in patients' expectations of physicians to show interest in their sexual health. Patients' expectations of discussing and receiving treatment for ED remain an unmet medical need.