Inclusion criteria for controls were age between 40 and 65 years and signing of the informed consent for study participation. Exclusion criteria for controls were the same as described above and the presence of ED.2.2. Clinical and Laboratory ParametersThe severity of ED was determined selleck chem Volasertib by application of the IIEF test. The weight, height, and abdominal circumference of the subjects were measured, and their body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) was calculated. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) was measured after a 5min rest and again 10min later; the mean value was recorded.

Serum triglycerides (mg/dL), HDL-C (mg/dL), LDL-C (mg/dL), total cholesterol (mg/dL), glycaemia (mg/dL), insulin (uUI/mL), glycated haemoglobin (%) albumin (mg/dL), SHBG (nmol/L), total testosterone (ng/mL), free testosterone (ng/mL), bioavailable testosterone (ng/mL), FSH (mUI/mL), LH (mUI/mL), prolactin (ng/mL), progesterone (ng/mL), oestradiol (pg/mL), D-dimer (mg/L), fibrinogen (mg/dL), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, mm/h), and C-reactive protein (CRP, mg/dL) were studied in samples drawn between 8 and 9 a.m. after a rest period of ��30min. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR index, ��U/mg) was also calculated (fasting insulin �� fasting glucose/22.5).Data were also gathered on age, alcohol consumption (>40g/day), smoking (>5cigarettes/day), sedentarism (physical exercise <30min/day), and drug intake (antihypertensives, diuretics, hypocholesterolemics or oral antidiabetics). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was calculated according to ATP-III criteria.

MS was defined by the presence of three of the following: abdominal circumference >102cm; hypertriglyceridaemia >150mg/dL, HDL-cholesterol <40mg/dL, blood pressure >130/85mmHg, or glycaemia >110mg/dL. Fasting blood samples were obtained between 8 and 9 a.m. after a rest period of ��30min by venipuncture of the patients’ large antecubital veins without stasis and after a 12-hour fasting period. 2.3. Statistical AnalysisUnpaired, two-sided Student’s t tests were applied to compare the mean values of quantitative variables, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to examine the normality of their distribution, and the Levene test to study the variance. The Mann-Whitney U test was used if the variables were not normally distributed. Qualitative variables were analysed with chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test if at least one cell had an expected count <5.

Correlations among variables were studied by using the Pearson coefficient or Spearman’s methods if the variables were nonnormally distributed. Binary logistic regression models (the Wald method) were used to obtain estimated adjusted ORs and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to measure the association between ED and metabolic syndrome AV-951 criteria.