Restorative therapy clinical trials for erectile dysfunction: a scoping review of endpoint measures

Assessing the quality and readability of online content on shock wave therapy for erectile dysfunction

“…LI‐SWT for ED has yet to be approved and applied as standard therapy protocol, as its efficacy is still incompletely defined, leading to some criticism among some experts in the field (Lei et al, 2021; Sokolakis & Hatzichristodoulou, 2019). However, some studies have stated that shock wave therapy for ED is an effective treatment option (Akande et al, 2021; Angulo et al, 2017; Caretta et al, 2021; Clavijo et al, 2017; Lu et al, 2017; Saltzman et al, 2022; Wang et al, 2020; Yao et al, 2022; Yuan et al, 2021). Scientific disagreement of the benefits of shock wave therapy may prompt patients to resort partially or completely to online sources to gain knowledge about LI‐SWT and aid in treatment decision making (Stukus, 2019).…”

“…Class I devices present minimal potential for harm to the user and are often simpler in design, while Class II devices require pre‐market FDA approval for clinical safety and efficacy. In addition, there is a lack of clinical trials and publications on the efficacy of radial shock wave therapy in ED (Pai et al, 2021; Saltzman et al, 2022).…”

Comment on: “Risk of Erectile Dysfunction in Male Patients with Gout Treated with Febuxostat or Allopurinol: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study”

“…As the main diagnostic endpoint of interest, the present study did not elaborate whether precise ED coding was conducted by excluding the prescription of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDEIs) including sildenafil, tadalafil, or vardenafil, vacuum constriction device and intracavernosal injection from Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) or Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System (HCPCS) codes [9]. Without the 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire for grading in the evaluation of ED severity, along with other ED assessments, e.g., Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM), Erection Hardness Scale (EHS), penile doppler ultrasound and endothelial function [10], stratification was impossible to judge the decision of ULT discontinuation. Tadalafil might be preferred over other PDEIs partially because of its longer half-life (17.5 h) and because it was associated with a decreased risk of major adverse cardiac events or venous thromboembolism [11].…”

Regenerative Therapy in Sexual Medicine: The Hard Facts

“…However, many of these studies lack consistent inclusion and exclusion criteria in addition to clear end point goals. 15 Further research is needed to fully understand the effects of these therapies and to develop safe and effective protocols that can be generalized for large-scale use. Additionally, other obstacles will need to be addressed such as affordability, and accessibility to facilities that are equipped with these novel modalities.…”