Prevalence and detection rate of underlying disease in men with erectile dysfunction receiving phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors in the United Kingdom: a retrospective database study

Int J Clin Pract. 2011 Jul;65(7):797-806. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-1241.2011.02693.x.

Abstract

Aim: To determine the rate of newly detected underlying disease in men receiving their first (index) phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5i) prescription.

Methods: This non-interventional, retrospective study used anonymised patient records from UK general practices identified from the THIN database. Records of men aged ≥ 18 years, who received an index PDE5i prescription between January 1999 and June 2008 and with a continuous medical history (≥ 60 months) before the index prescription were included. Primary end-points were the prevalence of underlying disease prior to the index prescription and to establish the detection rate, defined as cumulative incidence of such a diagnosis in the 3 months following the index prescription. Assessments included comparison with age-matched controls, comparison with identical time periods immediately before and 1 year after, index prescription, and changes over time during the study period. Descriptive statistics, analysis of proportions and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used.

Results: Among the 24,708 patients receiving a PDE5i, the prevalence of any underlying diagnosis before the index prescription was 70.23%; prevalence of vasculogenic disease was highest (48.20%). The detection rate of any underlying disease was 11.53%, and again highest for vasculogenic disease (4.07%). Compared with an age-matched control population, the additional detection rate of an unknown underlying disease at PDE5i prescription was 45 for hypertension, 61 for hypercholesterolaemia, 38 for diabetes and 5 for hypogonadism per 10,000 men.

Conclusion: Only a minority of men with erectile dysfunction have a previously undiagnosed important underlying disease that is uncovered at the time of an initial PDE5i prescription by a GP.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01150903.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Diabetes Complications / complications
  • Diabetes Complications / diagnosis
  • Early Diagnosis
  • Erectile Dysfunction / drug therapy*
  • Erectile Dysfunction / etiology
  • Humans
  • Hypercholesterolemia / complications
  • Hypercholesterolemia / diagnosis
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Hypertension / diagnosis
  • Hypogonadism / complications
  • Hypogonadism / diagnosis
  • Incidental Findings
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT01150903