%0 Clinical Study
%T A possible mechanism of erectile dysfunction in coronavirus disease-19: Cavernosal smooth muscle damage: A pilot study.
%A Unal S
%A Uzundal H
%A Soydas T
%A Kutluhan MA
%A Ozayar A
%A Okulu E
%A Kayigil O
%J Rev Int Androl
%V 21
%N 4
%D 2023 Oct-Dec 13
%M 37413939
%F 0.66
%R 10.1016/j.androl.2023.100366
%X Studies have reported that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may cause erectile dysfunction (ED), however, its role in the pathophysiology of ED has not yet been fully elucidated. We aimed to elucidate COVID-19's effects on cavernosal smooth muscle, which has a pretty important role in erection physiology, by corpus cavernosum electromyography (cc-EMG).<BR>Twenty-nine male patients aged 20-50 years who applied to the urology outpatient clinic due to ED were included in the study. Nine patients that had COVID-19 and were treated as outpatients were classified as group 1, 10 patients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 were classified as group 2, and 10 patients who did not have COVID-19 were classified as the control group (group 3). Patients underwent diagnostic evaluation including International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-5 form, penile color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS), cc-EMG, and fasting serum levels of reproductive hormones (07-11am).<BR>According to penile CDUS and hormonal values results, there was no significant difference between the groups. According to cc-EMG results, amplitudes and relaxation capacities of the cavernosal smooth muscle of patients in group 3 were significantly higher than those in the other groups.<BR>COVID-19 can cause ED not only by psychogenic and hormonal factors but also with cavernosal smooth muscle damage.<BR>NCT04980508.