CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Erectile dysfunction has been associated with cardiovascular diseases. The aim here was to evaluate cardiovascular risk through the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) criteria, C-reactive protein (CRP) assays and presence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in men with and without erectile dysfunction diagnosed within a healthcare program. DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective case-control study was conducted. The patients were selected from a healthcare program at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, between January and December 2007. METHODS: 222 men were retrospectively selected, and they were divided into two groups: men with erectile dysfunction (n = 111) and men without erectile dysfunction (n = 111). The patients were stratified according to the International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function domain (IIEF-EF domain). CRP and FRS were analyzed and the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The CRP levels were significantly higher among men with erectile dysfunction (P = 0.04). Patients with erectile dysfunction also had high FRS (P = 0.0015). CRP and FRS did not correlate with the severity of erectile dysfunction. The presence of metabolic syndrome was greater among men with erectile dysfunction (P < 0.05). The severity of erectile dysfunction was directly associated with metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: Men with erectile dysfunction presented higher cardiovascular risk according to the FRS criteria and CRP measurements. Severe erectile dysfunction seemed to have a correlation with metabolic syndrome.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the uroflowmetry data in a large population of asymptomatic Brazilian men submitted to a health check up program and their correlation to IPSS and prostate size. Materials and Methods: Asymptomatic men underwent a health check-up program between January and December 2012. The inclusion criteria were men between 40 and 70 years, IPSS ≤ 7, without bladder, prostate, urethral surgery, neurological diseases, urinary tract infection, PSA < 4.0 ng/dL and urinary volume higher than 150 mL. Urological assessment consisted of clinical history, IPSS, digital rectal examination (DRE), prostate specific antigen (PSA), urinalysis, ultrasonography and uroflowmetry. Results: A total of 1041 asymptomatic men were included in this study. The average age was 49 years and average maximum flow rate was 17.4 mL/s. In spite of IPSS and prostate size increase with aging, they had a weak correlation with Q max cutoffs (10 mL/s and 15 mL/s). A total of 85 men (8.3%) had more than 60 years, and even in this group, Q max was higher than 15 mL/s. Out of 1041 men, 117 had IPSS less than 8 and Q max less than 10 mL/s. Conclusions: In asymptomatic men there is a weak correlation between IPSS, prostate size and uroflowmetric data. The establishment of different normal cutoffs seems to be complicated and uroflowmetry data should be interpreted with caution in order to avoid misdiagnosis.

Background/Aims: It is now known beyond doubt that viral hepatitis (caused by B or C virus) along with bilharzial infestation (mostly S. mansoni) are the most important factors responsible for the vast majority of morbidity and mortality in Egypt. Based upon the concept that oxidative stress plays a key role in the development and pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases, many of the factors known to have antioxidant properties are to be investigated for purpose of evaluating their role in the defense mechanisms against all oxidant brunts associated with liver diseases. Serum MDA was assayed as a famous marker of oxidative stress, while PON1 enzyme activities were investigated as a marker of antioxidant properties. The polymorphism at 55 and 192 position known to be associated with PON1 enzyme are also investigated in Egyptian normal and chronic liver patients, in order to elucidate whether such polymorphism has any effect on the enzyme activity, and consequently the state of hepatic affection. Whether routine assay of PON1 activity in chronic liver disease patients can be introduced as a non-invasive clue marker for diagnosis and rating the stage of hepatic affection is another aim of the present work. Methods: We studied 75 patients with chronic liver disease (25 patient with chronic Bilharziasis, 25 patients with chronic hepatitis C, 25 patients with mixed hepatitis C and bilharzial cirrhosis) and 25 apparently healthy controls. Serum paraoxonase activity and levels of the lipid peroxidation marker (serum malondialdhyde) were measured spectrophotomtrically. PON1 genotyping at positions 55 and 192 were analyzed by PCR, restriction fragment length polymorphism and agarose gel electrophoresis. Results: the present work showed that chronic liver disease (viral and/or bilharzial) are associated with elevated oxidative stress (as indicated by increased MDA level) together with reduced PON1-activities, which is regarded as an antioxidant tool. The frequency of investigated polymorphism at 55 and 192 position were found to be of no statistical significance between patients and control groups. The MDA and PON1 values did correlate with standard liver function. Conclusion: The present work could introduce the assay of PON1 activity in the serum as a non-invasive, specific and reliable marker in a trial to assess the state of liver affection in chronic hepatic diseases.