J Korean Androl Soc.  1997 Dec;15(2):103-109.

NADPH Dehydrogenase Staining as a Promising Diagnostic Test for Neurogenic Impotence

• Moon KH
• Kim JW
• Jung HC
• Park TC
• Kim JS
• Suh JK

Abstract

PURPOSE: To elucidate whether cavernous nitric oxide synthase reflects the status of the cavernous nerve in patients with erectile impotence.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Fifty-one impotent patients aged 32 to 62 (mean 49) years were the subjects of this study. On the basis of history, physical examination, pharmacological erection test, penile duplex ultrasonography, bulbocavernosus reflex latency test, etc., the impotence was classified as psychogenic 9P; n=16), vasculogenic (V; n=15), or neurogenic (N; n=20). Nicotinamide dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) dehydrogenase histochemistry staining was performed on cavernous tissue samples obtained from 18 men who underwent implantation of a penile prosthesis and 33 men who underwent percutaneous biopsy using a Biopty Gun. The NADPH dehydrogenase-positive nerve fibers were counted in 4 randomly selected 400*microscope fields.
RESULTS
The number of NADPH dehydrogenase-positive nere fibers was significantly lower (p<0.05) in the N group (mean+/-SD: 26+/-6) than in the P (125+/-13) or V (92+/-12) groups. Among patients with neurogenic impotence, the number of positive nerve fibers was less in those with spinal cord injury or previous radical pelvic surgery group (17+/-7 and 12+/-5, respectively) than in those with diabetes mellitus (36+/-9). The number of nerve fibers staining for NADPH dehydrogenase correlated excellently with the neurogenic or nonneurogenic etiology of erectile impotence.
CONCLUSION
Histochemical evaluation of NADPH dehydrogenase may be clinically useful in diagnosing neurogenic impotence and quantitating cavernous nerve integrity in patients with neurogenic impotence.

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Diabetes Mellitus
Diagnostic Tests, Routine*
Erectile Dysfunction*
Humans
Male
NADP*
NADPH Dehydrogenase*
Nerve Fibers
Niacinamide
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Oxidoreductases
Penile Prosthesis
Physical Examination
Reflex
Spinal Cord Injuries
Ultrasonography
NADP
NADPH Dehydrogenase
Niacinamide
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Oxidoreductases