Effects of sildenafil and vardenafil treatments on sleep quality and depression in hemodialysis patients with erectile dysfunction

Abstract

ED is prevalent in hemodialysis (HD) patients, and closely related to poor sleep and depression. Efficacy of treating ED either with sildenafil or vardenafil has been shown to be beneficial in ameliorating concomitant depression in non-HD patients. It is yet to be shown whether treatment of ED with a PDE-5 inhibitor would improve poor sleep in HD patients. We aimed to compare the effects of sildenafil and vardenafil on sleep quality and depression in HD patients with ED. A total of 32 maintenance HD patients with ED randomized into two groups to receive either sildenafil or vardenafil for 4 weeks. After a 2-week washout and a crossover, each group received the other drug for another 4-week period. Sleep quality and depression were evaluated via post-sleep inventory (PSI) and Beck's depression inventory (BDI), respectively, at baseline and at the end of the treatment. Sildenafil and vardenafil both improved PSI and BDI scores significantly compared with pretreatment values. However, there was no difference between sildenafil and vardenafil with respect to these parameters. PDE-5 inhibitors, sildenafil and vardenafil, caused a significant improvement in sleep quality and depression in this cohort of HD patients with ED.

The effect of foot reflexology and back massage on hemodialysis patients' fatigue and sleep quality

“…A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 3 hemodialysis patients experience sleep disorders [1,2], and that between 7% and 92.5% experience fatigue [1,3,4].…”

Sexual Dysfunction and Quality of Life in Patients on Maintenance Dialysis

“…Unfortunately, data on the effect of PDE-5 inhibitors on HRQoL in patients on chronic dialysis are limited largely to a single study. Using a prospective, random-ized, crossover study design, Turk and colleagues sought to assess and compare the effects of two PDE-inhibitors, sildenafil and vardenafil, on HRQoL, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms (15,16). Patient participants included adult males on chronic HD with a clinical diagnosis of ED who were in a stable relationship.…”

Resistance training improves sleep quality, redox balance and inflammatory profile in maintenance hemodialysis patients: a randomized controlled trial

“…Furthermore, must be highlighted that all subjects that participate of the present study was not diagnosticated with sleep apnea. To support these data, drugs that increased NO promoted improvements in sleep patterns in rodents; again, supporting a possible role of NO in mechanisms related to sleep control 8 . Unfortunately, the causality and physiological mechanisms are still to be elucidated in HD patients.…”

“…To test this theory, Solak et al 8 compared the effects of sildenafil (NO donor) on depression and sleep quality in patients undergoing HD. The authors verified that both medications improved sleep quality and decreased depression symptoms in this population, highlighting a clue for the role of NO on sleep quality.…”