Introduction: Certain hematologic parameters related to blood cells, known as the biomarkers that predict cardiovascular disease, might be potential predictors of erectile dysfunction (ED) due to the shared pathophysiology between ED and cardiovascular disease . Aim: To investigate the relationship between ED and these hematologic parameters and the clinical significance of hematologic parameters for the diagnosis of ED. Methods: A total of 113 male patients diagnosed with ED were included in this study. Blood samples were collected before 10:00 AM for blood cells examination, biochemical tests, and sex hormone analysis. Another 212 healthy controls without ED from the health management center was included as the control group. The relationship between hematologic parameters and ED was assessed by comparing differences in body mass index (BMI), biochemical indexes and hematologic parameters between the 2 groups, and the diagnostic value of hematologic parameters for ED was also examined and compared. Main outcome measures: International Index of Erectile Function, hematologic parameters Results: The neutrophil count (NC), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in ED patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls, whereas the lymphocyte count (LC) was significantly lower than that in healthy controls. After adjusting for age, BMI, uric acid (UA), fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), increases in the NC, NLR, and PLR and a decrease in the LC were shown to be independent risk factors for ED. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the NLR exhibited better diagnostic performance for ED than the other parameters. Conclusion: Increases in the NC, NLR, and PLR and a decrease in the LC significantly increased the risk of ED. The NC, LC, NLR and PLR could contribute to the diagnosis and assessment of ED. Zhangcheng L, Yuxin T, Xiucheng L and Dongjie L, et al. The Relationship Between Hematologic Parameters and Erectile Dysfunction. Sex Med 2021;9:100401.

This study aimed to assess the association between psychological disorders and erectile dysfunction (ED) in patients with different degrees of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). This was a retrospective study conducted from June 2017 to October 2019 and included 182 outpatients. Patients were interviewed using the Structured Interview on Erectile Dysfunction (SIEDY) for pathogenic quantification. The National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) and the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) were used for the evaluation of CP/CPPS and ED. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to assess anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms. The number of patients with mild CP/CPPS and mild ED, mild CP/CPPS and moderate-to-severe ED, moderate-to-severe CP/CPPS and mild ED, and moderate-to-severe CP/CPPS and moderate-to-severe ED was 69 (37.9%), 36 (19.8%), 35 (19.2%), and 42 (23.1%), respectively. The corresponding PHQ-9 scores of the four groups were 6.22, 7.19, 10.69, and 7.71, respectively. The corresponding GAD-7 scores of the four groups were 5.26, 6.31, 8.77, and 6.36, respectively. Among patients with moderate-to-severe CP/CPPS, the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores of the moderate-to-severe ED group were significantly lower than those of the mild ED group (P = 0.007 and P = 0.010, respectively). The prevalence of ED and premature ejaculation (PE) in patients with moderate-to-severe CP/CPPS was significantly higher than that in patients with mild CP/CPPS (P = 0.001 and P = 0.024, respectively). Our findings proved that the severity of ED was negatively associated with psychological symptoms in outpatients with moderate-to-severe CP/CPPS.

Backgrounds: Remarkable interindividual variability in clopidogrel response is observed, genetic polymorphisms in P2RY12 and its signal pathway is supposed to affect clopidogrel response in CHD patients. Methods: 539 CHD patients treated with clopidogrel were recruited. The platelet reaction index (PRI) indicated by VASP-P level were detected in 12–24 h after clopidogrel loading dose or within 5–7 days after initiation of maintain dose clopidogrel. A total of 13 SNPs in relevant genes were genotyped in sample A (239 CHD patients). The SNPs which have significant differences in PRI will be validated in another sample (sample B, 300 CHD patients). Results: CYP2C19*2 increased the risk of clopidogrel resistance significantly. When CYP2C19*2 and CYP2C19*3 were considered, CYP2C19 loss of function (LOF) alleles were associated with more obviously increased the risk of clopidogrel resistance; P2RY12 rs6809699C > A polymorphism was also associated with increased risk of clopidogrel resistance (AA vs CC: P = 0.0398). This difference still existed after stratification by CYP2C19 genotypes. It was also validated in sample B. The association was also still significant even in the case of stratification by CYP2C19 genotypes in all patients (sample A + B). Conclusion: Our data suggest that P2RY12 rs6809699 is associated with clopidogrel resistance in CHD patients. Meanwhile, the rs6809699 AA genotype can increase on-treatment platelet activity independent of CYP2C19 LOF polymorphisms.

Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) play a crucial role in atherosclerosis, undergoing proliferation, migration, and transdifferentiation into other cell types. Multiple SMC subsets exist, each with distinct roles that are increasingly being elucidated. To investigate the heterogeneity of SMC subsets in lesion, we integrated three single-cell RNA sequencing datasets. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of the immune microenvironment, biological function, metabolic interactions, and differentiation potential of different SMC subsets. Atherosclerotic plaques from ApoE^−/− mice were used for validation. We employed pySCENIC to predict the transcription factors associated with different SMC subsets and used bulk RNA sequencing data to identify the function of the_C5 marker gene (ALDOA). We identified a unique smooth muscle cell cluster 5 (SMC_C5) in human coronary plaques and confirmed its presence in aortic plaques of ApoE^−/− mice. SMC_C5 interacts with macrophages and monocytes, influencing the microenvironment and participating in various pathways and metabolic processes. Additionally, SMC_C5 cells exhibit pluripotent differentiation potential. Mechanistically, we found a strong association of SMC_C5 and the transcription factor GA binding protein 1 (GABP1). The SMC_C5 marker gene (ALDOA) was involved in regulating metabolism, hypoxia response, and the immune microenvironment. This investigation provides novel insights into the complex biology of SMCs and reveals novel functions of SMC_C5 in atherogenesis.

Concealed penis (CP), also known as hidden or buried penis, is an external genital deformity in which a normal‐sized penis is covered by skin, subcutaneous tissue or fat tissue in the prepubic area, leading to abnormal exposure. This condition has significant morbidity and a negative effect on certain aspects of the patient's quality of life, including but not limited to hygiene, micturition, self‐image and sexual function. Current classification systems for CP are heterogeneous, but most of these further classify CP based on their division into congenital concealed penis (CCP) and adult‐acquired buried penis (AABP). The aetiology and pathogenesis of this disease are understood to some extent, but the specific underlying mechanisms need further research. Although conservative treatment may be effective for some children with CCP, surgical intervention is still the main treatment for other children with CCP and AABP. There is no ‘gold standard’ surgical treatment for CP, but there are various surgical methods available; therefore, individualized surgical plans should be created after a comprehensive evaluation based on the classification and aetiology of CP patients.