ELEVATED PLASMA TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-β1 LEVEL IN PATIENTS WITH VASCULOGENIC ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

초록

Purpose: We evaluated the plasma TGF-β1 level in ED patients of various causes to investigate how it is related with ED. Materials and Methods: Sixty-two patients with ED (mean age: 51.8 years, range: 30-72 years) and 26 potent men (mean age: 54.7 years, range: 28-72 years) were subjected to the study. Based on multidisciplinary work-ups, which included their medical history, physical examinations, blood tests with lipid profile and hormones, penile duplex Doppler ultrasonogram, and cavernous NADPH diaphorase staining, causes for ED were classified as psychogenic (n=15), neurogenic (n=16), and vasculogenic (n=31). The Plasma TGF-β1 level was measured with ELISA using a QuantikineTM human TGF-β1 immunoassay kit. Results: The plasma TGF-β1 level was a significant increase in the ED group compared to the control group (p<0.01). Of the ED group, there was a significant increase in the vasculogenic group compared to the psychogenic and neurogenic groups (p<0.01). Of the vascular risk factors, both the smoking and dyslipidemia groups showed significantly increased plasma TGF-β1 levels, compared to the non-smokers and those without dyslipidemia, respectively (p<0.05). Patients with atherosclerosis also showed an increased plasma TGF-β1 level compared to those without atherosclerosis, but it was not statistically significant. Conclusions: The plasma TGF-β1 level was increased in patients with ED, especially in those with vasculogenic causes. Among the vascular risk factors, the smoking and dyslipidemia groups showed elevated plasma TGF-β1 level. Vascular risk factors may contribute to cavernous fibrosis and resultant ED, which is associated with an elevated plasma TGF-β1 level.