Etiologic factors in Peyronie's disease

Background The etiology of Peyronie's disease remains a mystery. An attempt is made to resolve this. Materials and methods A total of 25 patients with Peyronie's disease were examined and investigated for the presence of various implicated etiologic factors. Results Of the 25 patients examined, two presented with ischemic heart disease, 10 with hypertension, 10 with asymptomatic hyperuricemia, 18 with hypercholesterolemia, two with fibrosing disorders, two with autoimmune disorders, and three with diabetes mellitus. None had any sexually transmitted disease. Seven of the 10 hypertensive patients had received P-blockers, On comparing the prevalence of these factors between patients and the general population, a significant association was found between hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hyperuricemia, and Peyronie's disease. Conclusions Known factors, such as hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, lead to weakening of the vasculature and its rupture during coitus. This leads to the formation of a hematoma and its subsequent organization in predisposed individuals to fibrous plaques. The identification and treatment of these factors might prevent, secondarily, the development of Peyronie's disease.