[Erectile dysfunction: the role of laboratory in the diagnostic and pronostic evaluation].

OBJECTIVE

To review and to update the different laboratory tests recommended for etiologic diagnostic of erectile dysfunction and to evaluate the effect these tests could have on the pronostic and therapeutic strategy of this pathology.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We review the last articles related with etiopathogenics and pathophysiologics mechanisms of erectile dysfunction, including our studies on endothelial dysfunction and erectile dysfunction.

RESULTS

The depth and extension of the laboratory protocol in erectile dysfunction is not necessaryly the same in all situations. The age, coincidence of comorbilities, set a different limit between patients demanding complementaries investigations that go beyond the basic request.

CONCLUSIONS

The etiopathogenic laboratory work up in erectile dysfunction is currently changing incorporating news tests. The traditional search of commorbilities like diabetes, hepatic dysfunction, hypogonadism, hyperglucemia is getting broad with recents analitics evaluations related with potential markers of endothelial disease.