PURPOSE: The interest has been growing in the investigation and management of erectile dysfunction, but there is few report about prevalence of erectile dysfunction in Korea. The object of this study was to determine the prevalence of erectile dysfunction of men in rural region in Korea through a community based survey. Also, we investigated the relationship between risk factors and erectile dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 255 men aged 30 and over in chonnam province, Korea was randomly selected for determination of the prevalence of erectile dysfunction, and they participated in questionnaire survey including International Index of Erectile unction (IIEF), and clinical and laboratory examination that include blood pressure, ECG, blood glucose, urinalysis, serum level of lipid profiles, GOT, GPT and creatinine etc. Information on erectile dysfunction were collected by direct personal interview using IIEF. High risk factors of erectile dysfunction were divided according to estimated level and determined relationship with erectile dysfunction. RESULTS: Overall mean IIEF score was 20.6 7.3, and based on IIEF score, the prevalence of erectile dysfunction was 66.3% (169 of 255 men). The prevalence of erectile dysfunction of older aged men over 50 years was significantly higher than younger aged men. Also strong correlation was found between erectile dysfunction and diabetes mellitus, smoking. Although there was no statistical significance by multiple regression analysis, educational level, abnormal findings in ECG, history of chronic disease, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia had relation to erectile dysfunction by ANOVA and Student t-test. And alcohol drinking, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol were not statistically significant for development of erectile dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that the prevalence and correlations with risk factors of erectile dysfunction in local community. We hope that this study will aid in larger epidemiologic study and prevention of erectile dysfunction in whole land.
Alcohol Drinking ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Chronic Disease ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Electrocardiography ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Erectile Dysfunction* ; Hope ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Jeollanam-do ; Korea ; Male* ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides ; Urinalysis

PURPOSE: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are considered very promising genetic markers for a better understanding of the genetic basis for complex diseases. Recently, various mutations have been described in the gene encoding the androgen receptor (AR) in a variety of disease, including male pattern baldness and prostate cancer. Analyzing the SNPs among different population or races shows unpredictable different expression patterns or diseases incidences. Because the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer varies worldwide, the SNPs may explain the differences among races. It has been reported that a synonymous A/G variant in exon I of the AR (NM_000044) at position 1754 showed different expression patterns in male pattern baldness. These observations raise important questions regarding the functional and clinical significances of the AR polymorphism. First, does the A/G variation of the AR have significance in prostate cancer? Second, if not, is the variation ethnogeographically specific in Koreans? To date, no studies have given answers to the above questions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total 120 unrelated subjects were enrolled between May and July 2004. Of the 120 patients, 80 had pathologically confirmed prostate cancer, 20 benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and 20 were non-bald men. Genomic DNAs were procured from the blood of the patients. A 416bp fragment in exon I of the AR was amplified, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products digested with Stu I enzyme. RESULTS: All the prostate cancer and BPH patients, and even the controls, showed the Stu I restriction enzyme site at position 1754 in the AR. CONCLUSIONS: The Stu I polymorphism in the AR is not related to the occurrence of prostate cancer in Koreans. This suggests that the high incidence of the Stu I polymorphism may be from racial differences in the AR gene. (Korean J Urol 2005;46:561-564)
Alopecia ; Continental Population Groups ; DNA ; Exons ; Genetic Markers ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Incidence ; Male ; Mortality ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Receptors, Androgen*