The present umbrella review of five systematic reviews and meta-analyses was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (Li-ESWT) in the treatment of vascular origin Erectile Dysfunction (ED). A search was carried out in the databases of Pubmed, Scopus, Medline, Scielo and Embase. Participants were divided into two groups: an experimental group receiving Li-ESWT and a control group receiving simulated shock waves. The main variable of this study is ED, measured using the International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) and the Erection Hardness Score (EHS) scale. The results showed a statistically significant increase in the mean IIEF-EF score in the experimental group. Overall, four out of five articles reported an increase in the EHS score in the Li-ESWT group compared to the placebo. Concerning the treatment parameters, better outcomes were observed with an energy density of 0.09 mJ/mm2 and the application of 1500-2000 pulses. Additionally, a follow-up of 6-12 months resulted in greater improvement in ED compared to 3 months, although more studies investigating follow-ups beyond 12 months are needed. Obtaining conclusive and clear results is challenging; however, everything indicates that Li-ESWT is an innovative therapeutic alternative for vascular-origin ED due to its low risk and improvement in erectile function.
Journal of personalized medicine. 2024 Feb 04*** epublish ***
Esther M Medrano-Sánchez, Belén Peña-Cantonero, Paloma Candón-Ballester, María Blanco-Díaz, Esther Díaz-Mohedo
Research Group CTS305, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Nursing, Physical Therapy and Podiatry, Universidad de Sevilla, 6, Avenzoar St., 41009 Sevilla, Spain., CitizenFisio, Carmona Rd., 41008 Seville, Spain., Neus Gramage, Asunción St., 41011 Seville, Spain., Physiotherapy and Translational Research Group (FINTRA-RG), Institute of Health Research of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain., Department of Physical Therapy, Universidad de Málaga, Francisco Peñalosa Av., 29071 Málaga, Spain.