Parathyroidectomy may bring to ED resolution

After the pilot study was conducted in the USA, the researchers came to the conclusion that parathyroidectomy in patients who were diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism is connected with ED. This assertion refers mainly to those who were diagnosed with disease before surgery.

The link that connects parathyroidectomy and ED in patients hadn't attracted attention earlier therefore Dr. Yoo, a doctor from Pennsylvania, wanted to investigate the subject. He spoke about it during the annual meeting of AAES in 2015, where endocrine surgeons gather. He noted that the research team had the goal to attract the attention to the theme and this goal was successfully achieved. They managed to arouse interest in possible relationship.

Another doctor who commented on the theory is Cord Sturgeon, MD from Chicago, Illinois. He added that this was impossible to uncover the truth as it was not even a symptom of the condition. He commented that it was interesting to uncover new information on the subject, which drew attention to the symptoms and revealed things they had never discussed before.

2/3 of male participants reported about resolution of ED

It is also important to point out that this is preliminary information and more evidence is required to prove it. The team of researchers has gathered a database of patients who were diagnosed with disease and then had surgery to get rid of the problem. They embraced the period from 2010 to 2014.

The researchers prepared the questionnaires and the respondents were asked to answer the questions. They had to check boxes to point out the signs of endocrine disease and answered the questions that helped to provide picture of general condition. The researchers have gathered information on three stages of the process. They registered the result in the beginning, in 6 months and after surgery. The general review of the chart showed that among 160 participants who were diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism and went through parathyroidectomy, 21 of them (13%) suffered from erectile problems. The patients informed about it before the surgery. These men were considerably older than the rest - about 70 years old in average, while the age of the rest was about 58 and they did not suffer from ED. The symptoms did not differ before the operation and after it. The same can be said about the calcium level. No fluctuations were observed in parathyroid-hormone rates.

Also, intraoperative data was reported. Dr. Yoo informed about the same level of multiglandular disease (in average) and weight of resected gland. The researcher added that percent reduction in parathyroid hormone.

The level of high blood pressure and hypertension were about the same between the men of different groups. The principal difference was only the fact that older patients took medicines to control blood pressure.

When men who reported ED before the operation (21 patients) participated in the survey 6 months later, 14 of them hadn't reported about the erectile problems. So 67% of those patients hadn't faced any difficulties.

If we compare the numbers, we can see that 7 men with the same symptoms and physical parameters had this male problem resolved for some reason.

And yet, it turned out that arterial blood pressure was lower in patients who experienced resolution of erectile disorder. All ED patients had the same level of calcium, vitamin D, the same weight of resected gland and had decrease of parathyroid hormone during the operation. The level of multiglandular disease was similar. After the operation, symptoms, levels of calcium and arterial pressure did not differ in general.

Other things could tell upon the participants therefore such factors as quality of life, depression were also considered. As a result, the conclusion was made that lifestyle remained the same, while depression improved.

Before operation, 2 men were treated with ED medications, but 6 months later after the operation none of them took drugs.

When age-matched control group was tested, 43% improved their erectile condition among 132 participants of the study who faced thyroidectomy during the research. To be more exact, 10 men improved their condition out of 23 male participants. Dr. Yoo said that it was not so much as 67% of male participants who informed about resolution of erectile problem after parathyroidectomy.

The doctor agreed that figures were not so high in the study, but there was explanation to it. The majority of patients are not men. For this reason, the research should be organized in a medical center with ED assessment tools at hand.