In a nutshell
The authors aimed to determine the effect of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5) on treating erectile dysfunction following prostate surgery.
Some background
Prostate surgery is a form of treatment that involves surgically removing the prostate gland in men with prostate cancer. Some patients may experience erectile dysfunction (inability to develop or maintain an erection) following surgery. PDE5 inhibitors are drugs that treat erectile dysfunction that are taken prior to sexual activity and include Viagra, Cialis and Levitra.
Methods & findings
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of PDE5 inhibitors in treating erectile dysfunction caused by prostate surgery.
Eight clinical trials were included in this study. Patients who took PDE5 inhibitors were 63% more likely to respond 'yes' when asked 'were you able to insert your penic into your partners vagina?' compared to those who did not. The likelihood of experiencing an erection long enough for sexual intercourse doubled when patients were treated with PDE5 compared to patients who did not receive PDE5. Patients who were treated with PDE5 were 3.53 times more likely to experience improved erectile function compared to patients who were not treated with PDE5.
PDE5 drugs correlated with the severity of erectile dysfunction (mild, moderate or severe) where mild/moderate patients were more likely to experience a benefit from PDE5 treatment. Patients treated with PDE5 were over two times more at risk of experiencing side-effects compared to placebo. The most common side-effect was headaches where patients treated with PDE5 were three times more at risk of experiencing headaches compared to patients who were treated with placebo. Other side-effects experienced were flushing, breathing problems and indigestion.
The bottom line
The authors conclude that PDE5 was effective and well-tolerated in patients treated for erectile dysfunction following surgery.
The fine print
Results may be biased due to the numerous experimental procedures included in this study.
What’s next?
If you have concerns regarding the effects of surgery on erectile functioning, please consult your doctor.
Published By :
PLOS ONE
Date :
Mar 11, 2014
