ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To elucidate how chronic prostatitis affects the expression and activity of the plasminogen activator (PA) system and relates to male infertility.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-three normal fertile males and 80 chronic prostatitis patients (40 fertile and 40 infertile) were included in this research. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fibrin overlay method were used to estimate the total PA, and tissue PA (tPA), urokinase type PA (uPA) in semen.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Total PA, tPA and uPA highly expressed in normal males, but decreased in the semen of the chronic prostatitis patients of both the fertile and infertile groups. However, there was no significant difference in total PA between the fertile and infertile patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Chronic prostatitis reduces the secretory function and PA synthesis and secretion of the prostate, but the decrease of PA alone does not cause infertility. PA may be one of the tools for estimating the function of the prostate.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Male , Case-Control Studies , Chronic Disease , Infertility, Male , Metabolism , Prostatitis , Metabolism , Semen , Metabolism , Tissue Plasminogen Activator , Urokinase-Type Plasminogen ActivatorABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and safety of vardenafil on men with erectile dysfunction (ED) of various etiologies.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 88 men with mild to severe erectile dysfunction were enrolled in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, fixed-dose trial of 12 weeks of treatment with either placebo or 5, 10 and 20 mg of vardenafil.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>This study indicated that vardenafil dosages of 5, 10 and 20 mg were significantly superior to placebo for the treatment of ED, on the basis of the primary study endpoints of the EF domain score of the IIEF, diary-recorded success rates for penetration and maintenance of erection during the intercourse and the GAQ. Vardenafil was well tolerated. The incidence of adverse events was higher for vardenafil than for placebo.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Oral vardenafil therapy has a high efficacy and a low incidence of adverse events for ED patients with mixed etiologies.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Administration, Oral , Double-Blind Method , Erectile Dysfunction , Drug Therapy , Imidazoles , Therapeutic Uses , Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors , Therapeutic Uses , Piperazines , Therapeutic Uses , Sulfones , Therapeutic Uses , Triazines , Therapeutic Uses , Vardenafil DihydrochlorideABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of sildenafil (viagra ) on men with ED of various etiologies in China. Methods This study was a double blind, randomized (1∶3, placebo∶ sildenafil), placebo controlled, parallel group, multi center, flexible dose escalation study of sildenafil oral tablets (25, 50 and 100mg) taken over an 8 weeks period. A total of 628 subjects were screened and randomized. Results The primary efficacy variables (questions 3 and 4 from IIEF) revealed a statistically significant ( P