This method ological choice confers to the results a strong clinical relevance as PC has been reported to be one of the major determinants of bother and psychological distress in PD patients [ 2 ] .
Initially , the results in terms of PC were disappointing , probably due to the inadequate dosage and regimen of the drug , or simply because of wrong
In this month 's issue of European Urology , Russo et al. [ 1 ] published the results of a systematic review of the literature about the efficacy of injection therapies , vacuum devices , and penile traction in patients with Peyronie 's disease ( PD ) .
Historically , oral and intralesional therapies have represented the initial conservative option with surgery being considered the definitive gold st and ard therapy in stable disease .
More recently , recommended treatment algorithms have significantly shifted due to the introduction of potential new first-line options .
In this scenario , oral treatments have become less commonly prescribed due to inconsistent or negative outcome data , and intralesional therapies have gained growing interest .
The impact of intralesional interferon alpha-2b injection therapy on penile hemodynamics in men with Peyronie's disease.
INTRODUCTION Penile duplex Doppler ultrasound ( PDDU ) is currently the preferred method for the functional evaluation of penile hemodynamics . PDDU may be used to monitor objective ly changes in penile vascular parameters in men who undergo treatment for Peyronie 's disease ( PD ) , including intralesional interferon alpha-2b ( IFN alpha-2b ) . AIM To investigate the impact of intralesional IFN alpha-2b therapy for PD on penile hemodynamics by using PDDU and to assess the objective role of PDDU in monitoring treatment outcomes . MATERIAL S AND METHODS Thirty-nine patients ( 20 in the placebo and 19 in the IFN alpha-2b treatment arm ) were enrolled in this prospect i ve , placebo-controlled , parallel study . Patients received either 10 mL saline or 5 x 10(6 ) units of IFN alpha-2b intralesional injections every other week for a total of six injections . Patients in each group were evaluated at baseline and after completion of treatment regarding changes in penile hemodynamic parameters , penile curvature , plaque size and density , pain on erection , and erectile function . Specific published criteria were used for PDDU measurements . Outcomes were statistically compared between each group by using Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests . RESULTS The mean age of the patients and the duration of PD were similar in both groups . The improvement in penile blood flow was significantly greater in IFN alpha-2b-treated patients than those in the placebo group . The number with the nonvascular classification increased significantly in the IFN alpha-2b arm from 31.5 % to 57.8 % . Additionally , improvements in penile curvature , plaque size and density , and pain on erection were better in the IFN alpha-2b group compared with the control . No significant improvement was observed in the erectile function domain in either group . CONCLUSION This study reveals that intralesional IFN alpha-2b injections have a significant benefit on penile hemodynamic parameters . Moreover , intralesional IFN alpha-2b is an effective , minimally invasive treatment for PD , and PDDU is a useful adjunct to monitor objective ly changes in penile vascular parameters . interferon alpha-2b injection therapy on penile hemodynamics in men with Peyronie 's disease
This method ological choice confers to the results a strong clinical relevance as PC has been reported to be one of the major determinants of bother and psychological distress in PD patients [ 2 ] .
Initially , the results in terms of PC were disappointing , probably due to the inadequate dosage and regimen of the drug , or simply because of wrong
In this month 's issue of European Urology , Russo et al. [ 1 ] published the results of a systematic review of the literature about the efficacy of injection therapies , vacuum devices , and penile traction in patients with Peyronie 's disease ( PD ) .
Historically , oral and intralesional therapies have represented the initial conservative option with surgery being considered the definitive gold st and ard therapy in stable disease .
More recently , recommended treatment algorithms have significantly shifted due to the introduction of potential new first-line options .
In this scenario , oral treatments have become less commonly prescribed due to inconsistent or negative outcome data , and intralesional therapies have gained growing interest .