Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38863376›Full record

ArticleThe world journal of men's health2025

Radial Type Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy Enhances Penile Microvascular Perfusion in an Aging Rat Model: A Novel Interventional Strategy to Treat Erectile Dysfunction.

Saager Tilak Chawla, Jad Shahan, Nolan Soutipan, Samuel Ryan Sorkhi, Yong Sun Choi, Woong Jin Bae, Sae Woong Kim, Tung-Chin Hsieh, Mahadevan Raj Rajasekaran

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The world journal of men's health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Saager Tilak ChawlaDepartment of Research Service, San Diego VA Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3864-4251
Jad ShahanDepartment of Research Service, San Diego VA Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5408-4125
Nolan SoutipanDepartment of Research Service, San Diego VA Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1456-8707
Samuel Ryan SorkhiDepartment of Research Service, San Diego VA Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0454-3390
Yong Sun ChoiDepartment of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2903-0812
Woong Jin BaeDepartment of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7703-1161
Sae Woong KimDepartment of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9127-9400
Tung-Chin HsiehDepartment of Urology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4149-7610
Mahadevan Raj RajasekaranDepartment of Research Service, San Diego VA Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4188-1628

Funding

Ministry of SMEs and Startups RS-2023-00285144UCSD Academic Senate
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposePhysiological aging is associated with microvascular dysfunction, including in the penis, and this may contribute to age-related erectile dysfunction (ED). Low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT) is a non-invasive intervention for ED, but its effect on penile microvascular function, remains unclear. Our objectives are to (i) evaluate the effect of Li-ESWT (specifically radial type ESWT [rESWT]) on penile microvascular perfusion (PMP) in aging rats, (ii) elucidate a possible mechanism, and (iii) evaluate its impact on angiogenic and smooth muscle biomarkers in cavernosal tissue. MATERIALS AND

methodsMale rats (n=9; 15-18 months) were anesthetized and subjected to rESWT while monitoring PMP. The nitric oxide (NO) pathway involvement was assessed by measuring the effect of rESWT on PMP following an intracavernosal injection of N(G)-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (NO synthase inhibitor). To elucidate the cellular mechanism, another group of rats received repeated rESWT (n=4) or no treatment (n=4) three times/week for two weeks. Rats were euthanized at the end of the study and penile tissues were analyzed for angiogenic markers (vascular endothelial growth factor-A [VEGF-A], endothelial nitric oxide synthase [eNOS]) and smooth muscle content (α-actin) using immunostaining, Western blot, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

resultsrESWT resulted in more than a 2-fold increase in PMP (from 68.5 arbitrary units; 163.7 AU). L-NAME injection produced a <40%-50% decrease (185.3 to 101.0 AU) in rESWT-induced PMP response. Immunostaining revealed increased α-actin, eNOS, and VEGF-A in the cavernosum and these findings were confirmed by qPCR and Western blot results.

conclusionsrESWT improved PMP, which may be mediated

Indexed as

Erectile dysfunctionExtracorporeal shockwave therapyFibrosisLaser speckle contrast imagingMicrocirculationPenis

Identifiers

PMID38863376
PMCPMC11937350

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.