PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the utility of sympathetic skin response (SSR) test for evaluating vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED) which is the most common type of impotence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Men in the age group of 28 to 60 years and suffering from vasculogenic ED, as confirmed by a papaverin test and color Doppler sonography, at least for 6 months referred from our university urology department were included. We used the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) for grading severity of dysfunction and recorded the SSR of every patient from the median, tibial, and dorsal nerves of the penis. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used for comparing quantitative variables, and Fisher's Exact test was used for comparing qualitative variables. The Mann-Whitney U Test and the Kruskal-Wallis test were performed for analysis of data that were not normally distributed. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Forty-two patients were recruited for the study. We found a strong statistical relationship between the IIEF score and the pathologic SSR registered from every mentioned nerve. Patients with abnormal SSR had more severe ED according to IIEF score (p<0.001). In addition, the IIEF score had a significantcorrelation with diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease (t-test; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirmed the presence of autonomic dysfunction in patients with vasculogenic impotence via an SSR test. We suggest evaluating the efficacy of the SSR test in patients with vascular impotence for treatment response monitoring in future studies.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Electrodiagnosis ; Erectile Dysfunction* ; Female ; Humans ; Impotence, Vasculogenic ; Male ; Penis ; Skin* ; Urology

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory mucosal disease of unknown etiology. Many studies have implicated the protective role of antioxidants in such diseases. The aim of this study was to compare salivary total antioxidant capacity (TAC and malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant vitamin (vitamin s A, C and E) levels in patients with erosive OLP and healthy individuals. Thirty six patients with OLP (14 males, 22 females) and 36 control subjects (15 males, 21 females), matched for age and sex were enrolled in this case control study. The salivary levels of MDA, TAC, and antioxidant vitamin levels were measured in both case and control groups. The salivary level of MDA was significantly higher (p<0.001) in patients than in controls. In patients with OLP, the TAC of saliva was significantly lower than that in healthy subjects (p<0.001). Compared with controls, the levels of salivary antioxidant vitamins were significantly decreased in patients with OLP (p<0.001). In addition, a positive correlation was found between the decrease in the salivary amount of vitamin C and that in vitamin E in patients and controls. In addition to the lower salivary levels of antioxidant vitamins and the lower TAC, the higher level of MDA in patients with OLP suggests that free radicals and the resulting oxidative damage may be important in the pathogenesis of OLP lesions.
Antioxidants ; Ascorbic Acid ; Case-Control Studies ; Free Radicals ; Humans ; Lichen Planus, Oral ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; Oxidative Stress ; Saliva ; Vitamin E ; Vitamins