OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation between erectile dysfunction (ED) and myocardial perfusion impairment in men with suspected or diagnosed coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: In this prospective study a self-administered IIEF-5 questionnaire was answered by 287 patients that underwent myocardial perfusion imaging under both resting and stress condition with technetium-99m sestamibi, through gated SPECT nuclear scintigraphy technique, before and after physical or pharmacological stress. RESULTS: Some degree of erectile dysfunction (group ED+) was found in 137 (47.8%) patients and in these, age was significantly higher (60.60±9.84 vs 50.67±9.94 - p<0.001)) than in those without erectile dysfunction (group ED-). In the ED+ group, it was observed a higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, myocardial infarction (MI) and percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PCTA). Regardless of the age factor, ED+ patients also presented higher occurrence of myocardial perfusion impairment (necrosis and/or ischemia) and left ventricular systolic wall motion and thickening abnormalities. CONCLUSION: Patients with ED have higher estimated probability of presenting segmental myocardial perfusion and functional contraction impairment and, therefore, CAD, independent of the aging factor. The authors conclude that ED may be considered not only a marker for CAD but also a condition related to the occurrence of major coronary events such as MI and PCTA.
erectile dysfunction; coronary artery disease; nuclear medicine; myocardial perfusion; risk factors; atherosclerosis
