The bulbocavernosus reflex in the assessment of neurogenic impotence in diabetic and non-diabetic men.

The results of a 6-year review of bulbocavernosus reflex (BCR) latencies in 300 men are presented. The relationship of BCR latency to potency, diabetic status and age was examined. The mean BCR latency in 32 normal men aged 22 to 78 years (x = 44.9 +/- 14.4) was 40.6 +/- 8.9 ms. A significant trend towards increasing BCR latency with age was evident. BCR latency was not found to be significantly associated with potency, the mean measurable BCR latency in impotent men being 43.0 +/- 11.6 ms. Diabetic men were more likely to have a prolonged measurable BCR latency (x = 46.2 +/- 11.2) and impotence, but even in this subset no significant correlation between BCR latency and impotence was detectable. Our results suggest that detectable pudendal neuropathy is unrelated to impotence in non-diabetic and diabetic men and does not usefully distinguish between neurologic and non-neurologic causes of impotence. With the advent of newer objective techniques to assess organic impotence, the value of BCR latency in the routine assessment of impotent subjects is questionable.