study of different rigiscan patterns in diabetic impotent patients

ABSTRACT

Twelve patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [DM] and 12 patients with non-insulin-dependent DM all with erectile dysfunction of more than one month were assessed with history taking, physical examination and nocturnal penile tumescence monitoring using the rigiscan. There was a significant difference in age between patients with insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent DM as well as between patients with abnormal and normal rigiscan results. An organic pattern was evident in 62.5% of the patients with no significant difference between insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent DM. There was no significant correlation between the different durations of DM and results of rigiscan monitoring. The different rigiscan patterns were low amplitude, uncoupling, dissociation, shortened episode and no events. There was a correlation between the clinical findings and the rigiscan patterns. It was concluded that rigiscan monitoring was recommended to differentiate between organic and psychogenic causes of ED in diabetics. It may also give a clue to the underlying organic cause, thus directing towards the specific step needed in diagnosis