[National survey on stoma appliances]. / Enquête nationale sur les appareillages de stomie.

A stoma constitutes a surgical solution for diseases, most commonly cancerous, of the digestive or urinary systems or for inflammatory bowel diseases. In order to gain a better understanding of how people choose and use their stoma appliances, the French federation of stoma patients (FSF) carried out a survey of its members in 2004.

Tadalafil once daily in the management of erectile dysfunction: patient and partner perspectives.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a prevalent condition that affects men and their partners. Significant improvements in the sexual lives of these couples have been achieved with the introduction of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. A PDE5 inhibitor is now widely recognized as the first-line therapy for the majority of men with ED. Currently, three PDE5 inhibitors - sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil - are approved to be taken as needed in anticipation of sexual activity, but only one of these, tadalafil, has been approved to be taken once daily. The primary aims of this review are to summarize the patients' and partners' viewpoints of ED management with PDE5 inhibitors, and to determine whether once-daily tadalafil can contribute to improving some psychological aspects of ED (such as sexual self-confidence, spontaneity and time concerns) compared with on-demand tadalafil or other PDE5 inhibitors taken by patients with ED.

[Erectile dysfunction: a sentinel symptom?]. / La dysfonction érectile: un symptôme sentinelle?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a frequent disorder affecting the man's sexual and relational quality of life. French epidemiological studies estimate that the prevalence of ED is between 11% and 44% and prevalence surveys show a correlation between ED and age: the relative risk of erectile dysfunction increases by a factor of 2 to 4 between the ages of 40 and 70 years. Few patients consult their doctor and only a small proportion of them receive treatment and few doctors take the initiative to discuss the question of their patients' sex life. Doctors should now have a good understanding of erectile dysfunction and must be aware of the importance of detecting or at least investigating any erectile dysfunction, which can be the first symptom of an underlying disease such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, androgen deficiency or a drug-induced effect. Demonstration of erectile disorders therefore represents an excellent opportunity to conduct a general work-up, as more than one-third of patients with ED ignore their underlying health problem and management of ED is therefore an integral part of preventive medicine.

[Ageing men's sexual functions decline and the erectile dysfunction (ED) increase]. / Androgénomodulation de la fonction érectile: quelles applications thérapeutiques?

Association between ageing men's progressive falling of circulating androgen levels and ED is not clearly demonstrated. The analysis of all what have been written about this subject clearly proves that an androgenomodulation of erectile function exists. Indeed, the androgens seem to have an action on penile tissue innervation, on the structure and function of penile trabecular smooth muscle, on the penile endothelial function, as well as on the fibroelastic properties of the penile corpus cavernous. The addition of testosterone improves a great number of androgen deficiency in the aging male (ADAM). Recent studies demonstrated that all hypogonadal patients cannot successfully benefit of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. With these patients, the prescription of testosterone replacement therapy may improve the response of PDE5 inhibitors.