The atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score is a reliable tool to identify patients with arteriogenic erectile dysfunction
Authors: Bertini Alessandro , Pozzi Edoardo , Fallara Giuseppe , Lanzaro Francesco , Candela Luigi , Costa Antonio , Corsini Christian , Cilio Simone , Belladelli Federico , Capogrosso Paolo , d'Arma Alessia , Montorsi Francesco , Salonia Andrea 
Published: April 2023

Background

The atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score is a validated algorithm predicting an individual's 10‐year risk of developing acute cardiovascular events (cardiovascular disease). Patients who suffer from arteriogenic erectile dysfunction are susceptible to developing cardiovascular disease in the future.

Objectives

To apply the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease score at a homogenous cohort of men with erectile dysfunction undergoing a dynamic penile colour Doppler duplex ultrasound and explore its predictive ability to identify patients with vasculogenic erectile dysfunction at colour Doppler duplex ultrasound.

Materials and methods

Complete data of 219 patients undergoing colour Doppler duplex ultrasound were analysed. All patients completed the International Index of Erectile Function. The atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease score and Charlson comorbidity index were applied to the entire cohort. Patients were divided into those with normal vs. pathological parameters at colour Doppler duplex ultrasound. Descriptive statistics were used to explore differences between the two groups. Logistic regression models tested the potential role of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease to predict arteriogenic and/or venogenic erectile dysfunction. Local polynomial smoothing models graphically displayed the probability of pathological colour Doppler duplex ultrasound parameters at different atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease scores.

Results

Overall, arteriogenic erectile dysfunction and venous leakage were diagnosed in 88 (40.2%) and 28 (12.8%) patients respectively. The median (interquartile range) atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease score was 7.7 (3.9–14). Patients with pathologic colour Doppler duplex ultrasound were older (59 vs. 54 years, p < 0.001), had higher Body Mass Index (26.5 vs. 25.6 kg/m2, p = 0.04), more comorbidities (Charlson comorbidity index ≥ 1) (76.5% vs. 54.4%, p = 0.002) and higher median atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease scores (9.95 vs. 7, p = 0.005), respectively. At logistic regression analysis, a higher atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score was independently associated with arteriogenic erectile dysfunction at colour Doppler duplex ultrasound (odds ratio: 1.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.01–1.08, p = 0.02) after adjusting for Body Mass Index, physical activity, alcohol consumption and severe erectile dysfunction.

Discussion

As vasculogenic erectile dysfunction may precede by some years the onset of acute cardiovascular diseases, the rigorous identification of patients with deficient cavernosal arterial blood flow, would definitely allow the implementation of earlier and more effective cardiovascular prevention strategies in men with erectile dysfunction.

Conclusions

The atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score represents a reliable tool to identify patients with arteriogenic erectile dysfunction in everyday clinical practice.