Pentoxifylline treatment and penile calcifications in men with Peyronie's disease

Asian J Androl. 2011 Mar;13(2):322-5. doi: 10.1038/aja.2010.117. Epub 2010 Nov 22.

Abstract

This retrospective cohort study from a single clinical practice enrolled patients with evidence of calcified Peyronie's disease (PD) plaques detected on penile ultrasound at the time of initial presentation. The primary objective was to describe the effect of pentoxifylline (PTX) treatment on subtunical calcifications in men with PD. A PD-specific questionnaire was administered and sonographic evaluations were performed at baseline and follow-up visits. Descriptive statistics and χ(2) analysis were used to characterize the effect of PTX on calcified tunical plaques. In all, 71 men (mean age: 51.9 years) with PD and sonographic evidence of calcification were identified. Of them, 62 of these men were treated with PTX for a mean duration of 1 year, and nine with vitamin E or no treatment. Improvement or stabilization in calcium burden at follow-up was noted in 57 (91.9%) of men treated with PTX versus four (44.4%) of those not treated with PTX (P<0.001). PTX users were much less likely to have a subjective worsening of their clinical condition (25.0% versus 78.3%, P=0.002). Treatment with PTX appeared to stabilize or reduce calcium content in PD plaques. A randomized controlled trial is warranted to further explore this effect.

Publication types

  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Calcinosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Calcinosis / drug therapy*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Penile Induration / diagnostic imaging
  • Penile Induration / drug therapy*
  • Penis / diagnostic imaging
  • Pentoxifylline / therapeutic use*
  • Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Ultrasonography
  • Vitamin E / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
  • Vitamin E
  • Pentoxifylline