Endocrine Abstracts

Background: The role of testosterone (T) in regulating body composition is conflicting.Aim: To meta-analyze the effects of T supplementation (TS) on body composition and metabolic outcomes.Methods: All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effect of TS on different endpoints were considered.Results: Overall, 59 trials were included in the study enrolling 3029 and 2049 patients in TS and control gr...

Introduction: Conventional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors identify only half of subjects with incident major adverse CV events (MACE). Hence new markers are needed in high CV risk subjects, as those with erectile dysfunction (ED). A role for dynamic peak systolic velocity (D-PSV) at penile color Doppler ultrasound (PCDU) has been suggested, but it is operator-dependent and time-consuming. Flaccid penile acceleration (FPA) is a PCDU parameter that reflects PSV, the systolic r...

Introduction: Digito-rectal examination (DRE) of the prostate is provides useful information on the state of prostate growth and on the presence of suspected peripheral nodules. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical and biochemical correlates of finding an enlarged prostate size at DRE in subjects with sexual dysfunction (SD).Methods: A consecutive series of 2379 patients was retrospectively studied. The analysis was focused on a subset of su...

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a diagnostic category which identifies subjects at high risk for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, erectile dysfunction (ED) and male hypogonadism. However, MetS impact on male infertility has been poorly studied. We systematically evaluated possible associations between MetS and clinical characteristics in men with couple infertility.Methods: Out of 367 consecutive subjects, 351 men (36.0±8.0 years) wi...

Introduction: Smoking habit has always been considered to exert a detrimental effect on male reproductive health. However, several studies do not clearly demonstrate a negative effect of smoke on semen parameters. In addition, the effect of smoke on male genital tract has been poorly studied by ultrasound (US). We evaluated the correlations of smoking with seminal and US characteristics in males of infertile couples. Methods. A consecutive series of 426 men was systematically ...

Introduction: Measurement of testis volume (TV) is a reliable clinical procedure that predicts reproductive fitness. However, the role of TV in overall and cardiovascular (CV) fitness has never been studied.Aim: The study aims to analyze the clinical correlates of TV in patients with sexual dysfunction (SD) and to verify the value of this parameter and its determinants (i.e., luteinizing hormone (LH) levels) in predicting major adverse CV events (MACE).<...

Introduction: Sexual dysfunctions (SD) are dictated by predisposing, precipitating, maintaining, and contextual factors, the latter of which can help sexual problems to emerge. Even if the lack of sexual privacy is one of the most common contextual issues, it has not been extensively studied.Aim: Investigation of sexual privacy in a large sample of men consulting for SD.Methods: A consecutive series of 3736 men, attending the Outpa...

Introduction: The impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on male infertility has been poorly studied. We recently reported that MetS is associated with hypogonadism, poor sperm morphology and testis ultrasound inhomogeneity. However, the possible associations between MetS and prostate-related symptoms and signs are still lacking.Methods: Out of 351 subjects without genetic abnormalities previously evaluated for couple infertility clinically and by scrotal u...

Objective: To verify whether, in a large sample of male subjects seeking medical care for sexual dysfunction (SD), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) might represent a reliable marker of testosterone bioactivity, even downstream to its receptor binding.Design: Cross-sectional study.Methods: A consecutive series of 3156 patients attending our Unit for SD studied. Among them, only subjects without history of prostate disease and with PS...

Introduction: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) algorithm is one of the most efficient instruments for the prediction of incident type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Recently it has been shown to predict another relevant cardiovascular (CV) risk factor, such as chronic kidney disease.The aim of the present study is to verify whether, in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED), the use of ARIC diabetes risk score might improve the efficacy in predicting ...