Dehydroepiandrosterone in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in patients with different organic etiologies

In 1994 the Massachusetts Male Aging Study described an inverse correlation of the serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and the inci dence of erectile dysfunction (ED). The positive results of a pilot study i n the treatment in patients with no organic etiology prompted a detailed in vestigation on the efficacy of DHEA therapy for ED in patients with differe nt organic etiologies, in a prospective study. The inclusion criteria inclu ded ED, a normal physical condition, normal serum levels of testosterone, p rolactin and PSA and a serum DHEAS level <1.5 <mu>mol/l. The study patients comprised 27 patients (group 1) with hypertension, 24 patients (group 2) w ith diabetes mellitus, six patients with neurological disorders (group 3) a nd 28 patients (group 4) with no organic etiology were treated with 50 mg D HEA p.o. for 6 months. We assessed efficacy by using the responses to quest ion 3 (frequency of penetration) and question 4 (maintenance of erections a fter penetration) of the 15-question International Index of Erectile Functi on (IIEF). DHEA treatment was associated with statistically significantly h igher mean scores compared to baseline values for question 3 and question 4 of the IIEF in groups I and 4 after a period of 24 weeks. The differences between the mean scores of groups 2 and 3 and the baseline values were not statistically significant. Our results suggest that oral DHEA-treatment may be of benefit to patients with ED who have hypertension or to patients wit h ED without organic etiology. There was no impact of DHEA therapy on patie nts with diabetes mellitus or with neurological disorders.