Protease inhibitors and erectile dysfunction

Increasing numbers of HIV-positive men receiving protease inhibitors (PI) complain of erectile dysfunction (ED). Through the analysis of 334 HIV-1-infected male outpatients, this study shows homosexuality, CD4 cell count, viral load, and indinavir treatment to be independent variables predictive of ED. Furthermore, a neuropathy of the sacral region was detected in 12 patients with ED who underwent diagnostic investigations. For the first time, a PI-containing regimen has been associated with peripheral neuropathy causing ED.