EFFECT OF ERYTHROPOIETIN ON SEXUAL POTENCY IN CHRONIC-HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS - A PRELIMINARY-STUDY

Six male dialysis patients were submitted to a Doppler study of the deep penile arteries and intracavernosal injection of 30 mg papaverine under basal conditions before and after erythropoietin therapy. Penile tumescence was recorded after 15 min by measuring the length and the circumference of the penis as well as the erectile angle between the penis and the legs with the patient in standing position. Haematocrit was raised by erythropoietin therapy from 19.3 +/- 4.5 to 31.2 +/- 5.5 within 3 months. Five patients completed the study. We encountered a significant improvement in the frequency of sexual intercourse per month from 1.3 +/- 0.5 to 2.3 +/- 0.8 (p=0.014). Furthermore, an increase was observed in the penile brachial index (from 0.87 +/- 0.1 to 0.91 +/- 0.1) and in the papaverin induced increase in penile length (4.6 +/- 1.4 cm versus 5.2 +/- 1.1 cm), penile circumference (2.7 +/- 0.14 cm versus 2.7 +/- 0.27 cm) as well as in the erectile angle (61.7 +/- 37.1 versus 80 +/- 23.5 degrees). These changes were not statistically significant. There was a significant correlation between the increase in the erectile angle and the increase in frequency of intercourse (p=0.04). In conclusion, erythropoietin treatment could improve the sexual potency in uraemic patients under chronic haemodialysis therapy.