[Prostaglandin E1 in the treatment of erectile insufficiency. Comparison of efficacy and tolerance based on different etiologies].

Abstract

Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) is widely used for the treatment of impotence. We retrospectively studied 322 patients who had received injection of prostaglandin E1 from 1991 to 1993 and attempted to divide them into different subgroups as a function of the aetiology of the impotence in order to determine whether there is a difference in efficacy and tolerance. The complete work up included at least two consultations with a sex therapist, a pharmaco-Doppler examination, cavernometry, plethysmography of the nocturnal erections and blood chemistry with assay of the free testosterone in all patients. Erections compatible with penetration were observed after prostaglandin E1 injection in 85.4% of the patients (all aetiologies). Very favourable results were obtained in the group of patients with an arterial defect (n =36) since erections allowing intercourse were obtained in 83.3%. For the patients with occlusive venous dysfunction (cavernous leakage) (n = 35) the injections were less effective but led to satisfactory results in 74.3%. The results were excellent (94.7%) in the cases of psychogenic impotence (n = 113). Finally, in patients with diabetes related impotence (n = 21), the treatment was much less effective giving only 52.3% of positive results. In several cases (n = 151) we were able to compare the effectiveness of PGE1 with that of papaverine alpha blockers. For the patients with an arterial defect, PGE1 was slightly more effective. For patients with an occlusive venous dysfunction, PGE1 was always more effective than papaverine and finally, for patients with diabetes, the papaverine-alpha blocker combination was more effective than PGE1 in all cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)