madman
Super Moderator
Abstract
Purpose Data assessing the effectiveness of intracavernosal injections (ICIs) for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) are limited. This study evaluates intracavernosal injectable therapies for ED and reviews available guidelines that inform clinical practice.
Methods A systematic search using electronic databases (Medline, Pubmed) was performed for studies investigating injectable management strategies for ED published after 1990. Primary outcome measures were to comparatively evaluate clinical efficacy, continuation rates and adverse event profiles of each injectable agent as monotherapy or in combination. The secondary outcome measurement was to discuss available guidelines that inform clinical practice for injectable agents.
Results ICIs demonstrate clinical efficacy in 54–100% of patients, early discontinuation rates of ≤38% and adverse events in ≤26%. Discontinuation rates are typically greatest within 3–6 months of commencement. Anxiety related to the initial injection occurs in approximately 65% and anxiety levels can remain high for 4 months. Approval of intracavernosal injection agents is mainly limited to alprostadil with the recent addition of aviptadil/phentolamine combination therapy in a select few geographical regions. Although combination therapies are attractive alternative options, their formulations are variable and should be standardised before widespread acceptance is achieved.
Conclusions ICIs are associated with good clinical efficacy rates, high discontinuation rates and a moderate side-effect profile. They represent an important tool in the urological armamentarium for treating ED in patients that cannot tolerate or are refractory to oral therapies.
Conclusion
ICIs are associated with good clinical efficacy rates, high discontinuation rates and a significant side-effect profile. They represent an important tool in the urological armamentarium for treating ED in patients that cannot tolerate or are refractory to oral therapies. Their primary role appears to be as a second-line therapy in motivated and well-counselled male patients and for penile rehabilitation in male patients after pelvic surgery. Approval of intracavernosal injection agents is mainly limited to alprostadil with the recent addition of aviptadil/phentolamine combination therapy in a select few geographical regions. Although combination therapies are attractive alternative options in patients with an adverse response to alprostadil alone, their formulations are variable and should be standardised before widespread acceptance can be achieved.
Purpose Data assessing the effectiveness of intracavernosal injections (ICIs) for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) are limited. This study evaluates intracavernosal injectable therapies for ED and reviews available guidelines that inform clinical practice.
Methods A systematic search using electronic databases (Medline, Pubmed) was performed for studies investigating injectable management strategies for ED published after 1990. Primary outcome measures were to comparatively evaluate clinical efficacy, continuation rates and adverse event profiles of each injectable agent as monotherapy or in combination. The secondary outcome measurement was to discuss available guidelines that inform clinical practice for injectable agents.
Results ICIs demonstrate clinical efficacy in 54–100% of patients, early discontinuation rates of ≤38% and adverse events in ≤26%. Discontinuation rates are typically greatest within 3–6 months of commencement. Anxiety related to the initial injection occurs in approximately 65% and anxiety levels can remain high for 4 months. Approval of intracavernosal injection agents is mainly limited to alprostadil with the recent addition of aviptadil/phentolamine combination therapy in a select few geographical regions. Although combination therapies are attractive alternative options, their formulations are variable and should be standardised before widespread acceptance is achieved.
Conclusions ICIs are associated with good clinical efficacy rates, high discontinuation rates and a moderate side-effect profile. They represent an important tool in the urological armamentarium for treating ED in patients that cannot tolerate or are refractory to oral therapies.
Conclusion
ICIs are associated with good clinical efficacy rates, high discontinuation rates and a significant side-effect profile. They represent an important tool in the urological armamentarium for treating ED in patients that cannot tolerate or are refractory to oral therapies. Their primary role appears to be as a second-line therapy in motivated and well-counselled male patients and for penile rehabilitation in male patients after pelvic surgery. Approval of intracavernosal injection agents is mainly limited to alprostadil with the recent addition of aviptadil/phentolamine combination therapy in a select few geographical regions. Although combination therapies are attractive alternative options in patients with an adverse response to alprostadil alone, their formulations are variable and should be standardised before widespread acceptance can be achieved.
