Sexual Function Is an Indicator of Central Arterial Stiffness and Arterial Stiffness Gradient in Japanese Adult Men

Abstract

BackgroundAs arterial stiffness increases in the absence of subjective symptoms, a personal indicator that reflects increased risk of cardiovascular disease is necessary. Penile erection is regulated by vascular function, and atherosclerosis affects the penile artery earlier than it affects the coronary and carotid arteries. Therefore, we hypothesized that deterioration of erectile function could be a marker of increased risk for cardiovascular disease. To test our hypothesis, we assessed erectile function and arterial stiffness in a cross‐sectional study.Methods and ResultsCarotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), brachial‐ankle PWV, femoral‐ankle PWV, and arterial stiffness gradient (PWV ratio: carotid‐femoral PWV/femoral‐ankle PWV) were measured as indexes of central, systemic, and peripheral arterial stiffness and peripheral organ damage, respectively, in 317 adult men. In addition, erectile function was assessed by using the questionnaire International Index of Erectile Function 5 (a descending score indicates worsening of erectile function). The scores of male sexual function were inversely correlated with carotid‐femoral PWV (r s=−0.41), brachial‐ankle PWV (r s=−0.35), femoral‐ankle PWV (r s=−0.19), and PWV ratio (r s=−0.33). Furthermore, multivariate linear regression analyses revealed that International Index of Erectile Function 5 scores were significantly associated with carotid‐femoral PWV (β=−0.22) and PWV ratio (β=−0.25), but not with brachial‐ankle PWV and femoral‐ankle PWV.ConclusionsOur results indicated that erectile function is independently associated with central arterial stiffness and peripheral organ damage. These findings suggest that male sexual function could be an easily identifiable and independent marker of increased central arterial stiffness and peripheral organ damage.

The relationship between the severity of erectile dysfunction and aortic stiffness

“…In a study involving 317 patients in Japan, a negative correlation was shown between the IIEF score and PWV. In the same study, the mean age of the patients was 57, 67 and 72 in the mild, moderate and severe ED groups respectively (Kumagai et al, ). Kaya et al showed that aortic elasticity was impaired in patients with ED, and the aortic elasticity index was significantly lower in ED patients compared to the group without ED.…”

“…The fact that NO is involved in aetiology of both ED and arteriosclerosis is suggestive of an association between these two conditions. Studies have shown that aortic stiffness is significantly higher in patients with ED compared to those without ED (Aversa et al, ; Kaya, Ergelen, Ilktac, & Karaman, ; Kumagai et al, ).…”

Role of High Physical Fitness in Deterioration of Male Sexual Function in Japanese Adult Men

“…After a resting period of at least 20 min, heart rate, blood pressure, and arterial stiffness were measured in a quiet, temperature-controlled room (24–26°C). Heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure, and carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) were measured using a previously described noninvasive vascular profiling system (form PWV/ABI; Colin Medical Technology, Komaki, Japan; Kumagai, Yoshikawa, Myoenzono, et al, 2018). Eighty percent of the direct carotid–femoral distance was applied to calculate cfPWV (Van Bortel et al, 2012).…”

“…Erectile function is regulated by vascular function and impaired vascular function is closely related with deterioration of male sexual function (Kumagai, Yoshikawa, Myoenzono, et al, 2018; Montorsi, Montorsi, & Schulman, 2003; Montorsi et al, 2005; Vlachopoulos, Aznaouridis, et al, 2008; Vlachopoulos, Ioakeimidis, Terentes-Printzios, & Stefanadis, 2008). Previously, it has been reported that physical fitness, such as aerobic capacity (Myers et al, 2002), muscular strength (Leong et al, 2015), and flexibility (Komatsu et al, 2017; Yamamoto et al, 2009), are associated with CVD and its risk factors, including vascular function.…”

Evoking Awareness toward Muscular Arterial Remodeling and Stiffness

“…Some of the researchers oppose this opinion and use other indexes, for example, the calculation of mismatch between elastic and muscular arteries (carotid-femoral PWV divided by carotid-radial PWV). The downside is that this ratio has limited performance in general population and is more specific to certain cohorts: chronic kidney disease (CKD) [14,15], diabetes [16], female gender [17] (with high cardiovascular risk profile) and related to male sexual function [18]. Analysis of cardiologic ambulatory patients [10] revealed unchanged aging related arterial stiffness in muscular arteries, but increased pulse wave velocity mismatch, suggesting the link to end-organ damage.…”