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Original Research

Open Access

Can Li-ESWT in the treatment of mild and mild/moderate erectile dysfunction affect the sexual functions of male patient and female partner?

Puede Bi-TOCE en el tratamiento de la disfunción eréctil leve y leve/moderada afectar la función sexual del paciente masculino y su pareja femenina?

  • Engin Özbay1,*,

1Urology Department, Private Osmaniye İbni Sina Hospital, 80000 Osmaniye, Türkiye

DOI: 10.22514/j.androl.2025.048 Vol.23,Issue 4,December 2025 pp.97-104

Submitted: 18 July 2025 Accepted: 30 September 2025

Published: 30 December 2025

*Corresponding Author(s): Engin Özbay E-mail: enozbay63@gmail.com

Abstract

Background: This study retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of low-intensity extra-corporeal shock wave therapy (Li-ESWT) in the treatment of mild and mild/moderate erectile dysfunction (ED) and compared changes in sexual function parameters of couples before and after the procedure. Methods: This study included 32 couples. The five-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), the Erection Hardness Scale (EHS), and the male Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (mASEX) were administered to patients who presented to the urology outpatient clinic with mild and mild/moderate ED. In addition, the female Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (fASEX) was by their partners before the procedure. All male patients then underwent Li-ESWT. At the sixth month after the procedure, IIEF-5, EHS, and mASEX were again completed by the male patients, while fASEX was completed by their female partners. Pre-procedure and post-procedure values were compared statistically. Results: The differences between pre-and post-procedure IIEF-5 and EHS scores of male patients were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The total mASEX score and four sub-scores of male patients decreased compared to pre-procedure levels, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). However, the difference in the psychological stimulation score was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The total fASEX score and all sub-scores of female partners decreased after the procedure compared to pre-procedure scores, and these differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The decrease in the number of cases of male/female sexual dysfunction in both groups after the procedure was also significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In young patients with mild or mild/moderate ED, Li-ESWT resulted in a high treatment success rate at six months after the procedure. Furthermore, both male and female sexual dysfunction improved simultaneously, with improvements observed in all female sexual function parameters. In male patients, improvements were observed in four different sexual functions, while psychological stimulation remained unchanged.


Resumen

Antecedentes: Este estudio evaluó retrospectivamente la eficacia de baja intensidad: terapia con ondas de choque extracorpóreas (Bi-TOCE) en el tratamiento de la disfunción eréctil (DE) leve y leve/moderada y comparó los cambios en los parámetros de función sexual de las parejas antes y después del procedimiento. Métodos: Este estudio incluyó a 32 parejas. Se aplicaron a los pacientes masculinos el Índice Internacional de Función Eréctil de cinco ítems (IIEF-5), la Escala de Dureza de la Erección (EHS) y la Escala de Experiencias Sexuales de Arizona masculina (mASEX). Además, la Escala de Experiencias Sexuales de Arizona femenina (fASEX) fue completada por sus parejas antes del procedimiento. Todos los pacientes masculinos se sometieron a Bi-TOCE. Al sexto mes posterior al procedimiento, los pacientes completaron nuevamente IIEF-5, EHS y mASEX, mientras que sus parejas femeninas completaron fASEX. Los valores pre- y post-procedimiento se compararon estadísticamente. Resultados: Las diferencias entre los puntajes pre- y post-procedimiento de IIEF-5 y EHS de los pacientes masculinos fueron estadísticamente significativas (p < 0.05). La puntuación total de mASEX y cuatro subpuntuaciones de los pacientes masculinos disminuyeron en comparación con los niveles pre-procedimiento, siendo estas diferencias estadísticamente significativas (p < 0.05). Sin embargo, la diferencia en la subpuntuación de estimulación psicológica no fue significativa (p > 0.05). La puntuación total del fASEX y todas las subpuntuaciones de las parejas femeninas disminuyeron respecto a los puntajes previos al procedimiento, siendo estas diferencias estadísticamente significativas (p < 0.05). La disminución en el número de casos de disfunción sexual (DS) masculina y femenina en ambos grupos después del procedimiento también fue significativa (p < 0.05). Conclusiónes: En pacientes jóvenes con DE leve o leve/moderada, Bi-TOCE resultó en una alta tasa de éxito terapéutico a los seis meses del procedimiento. Además, tanto los hombres como las mujeres con DS mostraron una mejoría simultánea y se observaron mejoras en todos los parámetros de la función sexual femenina. En los pacientes masculinos, se observaron mejoras en cuatro funciones sexuales diferentes, mientras que la estimulación psicológica permaneció sin cambios.


Keywords

Li-ESWT; Male patient; Female partner; mASEX; fASEX; IIEF-5; EHS; Erectile dysfunction; Sexual dysfunction


Palabras Clave

Bi-TOCE; Paciente masculino; Pareja femenina; mASEX; fASEX; IIEF-5; EHS; Disfunción eréctil; Disfunción sexual


Cite and Share

Engin Özbay. Can Li-ESWT in the treatment of mild and mild/moderate erectile dysfunction affect the sexual functions of male patient and female partner?Puede Bi-TOCE en el tratamiento de la disfunción eréctil leve y leve/moderada afectar la función sexual del paciente masculino y su pareja femenina?. Revista Internacional de Andrología. 2025. 23(4);97-104.

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