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Sildenafil Cuts Sex-Related Anxiety in Men With Premature Ejaculation: Presented at EAU

By Jill Stein

MILAN, ITALY -- April 4, 2008 -- Men with history of premature ejaculation have less anxiety during intercourse if they are treated with sildenafil, according to a study reported here at the 23rd Annual European Association of Urology Congress (EAU 2008).

Vera Stecher, PhD, Senior Medical Director, Pfizer, New York, New York, and colleagues examined the impact of sildenafil on erectile function and on men's levels of anxiety about their next intercourse attempt among 288 treatment-naive men with erectile dysfunction (ED).

"Performance anxiety may always be present at some level in men with ED, and anxiety over the failure to respond sexually may further aggravate impaired sexual responsiveness and lead to escalating anxiety after a succession of intercourse failures," Dr. Stecher observed in a presentation on March 27.

ED was defined as a score of 25 or less out of 30 on the International Index of Erectile Function, Erectile Function Domain.

All participants in the trial had previously used fewer than 6 doses of any phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor and no dose within the 4 weeks before the start of the study.

After every instance of sexual activity, the men responded to questions regarding several aspects of intercourse (eg, erection hardness, maintenance of erections), including questions on their level of anxiety about their next intercourse attempt.

Before treatment, most men expressed moderate or high anxiety about their next intercourse attempt. At the end of the double-blind phase, more than 50% of men treated with the 100-mg dose of sildenafil felt no anxiety about their next intercourse attempt.

Odds ratios for the "no anxiety" choice in the sildenafil 50- and 100-mg groups relative to placebo were 2.95 (P = .0043) and 5.99 (P < .0001), respectively. Odds ratio for the "no anxiety" choice in the sildenafil 100-mg group relative to the 50-mg group was 2.03 (P = .0197).

No patient required a dose reduction or temporary discontinuation, and most adverse events were mild or moderate. The most frequently reported adverse events included flushing in 10 patients, gastrointestinal disorders in 8, nasal congestion or cough in 6, and headache in 5.

The study was sponsored by Pfizer, Inc.

[Presentation title: Treatment With Sildenafil 50 mg or 100 mg Reduced Anxiety Levels Concerning the Next Intercourse Attempt in Men With Erectile Dysfunction Treated in a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Abstract 591]

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