Priapism is defined as abnormal prolonged penile erection occurring beyond or unrelated to sexual interest. The disorder is enigmatic yet devastating because of its elusive etiology, irreversible erectile tissue damage, and resultant erectile dysfunction (ED). Current management strategies suffer from a poor understanding of the pathophysiology, especially at the molecular level. The traditional treatments are based more on empirical rather than evidence-based knowledge. The outcomes for restoration of normal erectile function are poor, especially for stuttering priapism. Therefore, it is critical to understand priapism from a molecular level, to formulate treatment strategies and to establish rational prevention strategies for high-risk populations, such as sickle cell disease (SCD) patients and cases of the stuttering variant. This review focuses on the recent advances at the molecular level in priapism and penile erection, and applies the recent knowledge to the treatment of stuttering priapism.
Hormones ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Ischemia ; complications ; Male ; Penile Prosthesis ; Penis ; blood supply ; Priapism ; drug therapy ; etiology ; surgery ; Recurrence

The present paper serves as a review of the associations between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and erectile dysfunction (ED), with a focus on common and combined pathways for treatment. LUTS and ED are common conditions seen in general urologic practice. Research has started to establish epidemiologic and pathophysiologic links between the two conditions and a strong association confirmed across multiple studies. Men seeking care for one condition should always be interviewed for complaints of the other condition. Proposed common pathways include alpha-1 adrenergic receptor imbalance, Rho-kinase overactivity, endothelial cell dysfunction and atherosclerosis-induced ischemia. Medical therapy has replaced surgery as the first-line treatment for LUTS in most patients, with the incorporation of alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists (alpha-ARAs) and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) into everyday practice. Treatment with alpha-ARAs contributes to some improvement in ED, whereas use of 5-ARIs results in worsened sexual function in some patients. Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of ED with a simple oral regimen, and new insights demonstrate a benefit of combined use of PDE-5 inhibitors and alpha-ARAs. The mechanisms of action of these medications support these observed benefits, and they are being studied in the basic science and clinical settings. In addition, novel mechanisms for therapy have been proposed based on clinical and research observations. The minimally invasive and surgical treatments for LUTS are known to have adverse effects on ejaculatory function, while their effects on erectile function are still debated. Much remains to be investigated, but it is clear that the associations between LUTS and ED lay the foundation for future therapies and possible preventative strategies.
5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors ; Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Atherosclerosis ; complications ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Erectile Dysfunction ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; complications ; surgery ; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha ; physiology ; Urologic Diseases ; etiology ; therapy ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism