Department of Neurosciences and Imaging, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy.
J Sex Med. 2011 Aug;8(8):2386-90. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02320.x. Epub 2011 May 19.
High altitude environment represents a fine model to study physiological and pathophysiological effects of oxygen availability on sleep-related erections (SREs).
To describe altitude-dependent effects on quality of SREs in order to estimate the role of hypoxia in erection physiology.
A healthy 37-year-old male mountain climber underwent a chronic high altitude-related hypoxia experience during the 43 days of the Manaslu expedition (Nepal). SREs were recorded by RigiScan (Timm Medical Technologies, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN, USA) at altitudes ranging from 0 to 5,800 m above sea level. The erection-related parameters assessed were: number, duration, event duration (% of session), event rigidity %, time rigidity %, tumescence and rigidity activated unit, and event tum % > bline (%).
SREs were recorded by RigiScan at altitudes ranging from 0 to 5,800 m above sea level.
Erectile parameters showed an altitude-related reduction during the hypoxic exposure, although all functional alterations were reverted by the return to sea level.
Our case report supports the hypothesis that oxygen availability and delivery could play an important role in the regulation of local penile erection-related mechanisms and that low oxygen levels might be considered an etiological cofactor in erectile dysfunction.
高海拔环境是研究氧气可用性对睡眠相关勃起（SRE）的生理和病理生理影响的理想模型。
描述与海拔相关的 SRE 质量变化，以评估缺氧在勃起生理中的作用。
一名健康的 37 岁男性登山者在马纳斯鲁探险（尼泊尔）的 43 天中经历了慢性高原相关缺氧。使用 RigiScan（Timm Medical Technologies，Inc.，明尼苏达州 Eden Prairie）在海拔 0 至 5800 米的范围内记录 SRE。评估的勃起相关参数包括：数量、持续时间、事件持续时间（%）、事件硬度%、时间硬度%、勃起和硬度激活单位，以及事件勃起%>基线（%）。
使用 RigiScan 在海拔 0 至 5800 米的范围内记录 SRE。
尽管所有功能改变在返回海平面时都得到了逆转，但勃起参数在缺氧暴露期间表现出与海拔相关的减少。
我们的病例报告支持以下假设，即氧气可用性和输送可能在调节局部阴茎勃起相关机制中发挥重要作用，并且低氧水平可能被视为勃起功能障碍的病因协同因素。
