Erection rigidity during masturbation a useful screening tool for erectile dysfunction

The Erection Hardness Scale (EHS) proves to be reliable in differentiating between predominantly organic and apparently nonorganic erectile dysfunction (ED), reducing the need for further nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR) testing, as reported in a study.

The study included 189 consecutive men who attended an outpatient clinic, reporting ED and had an abridged International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-6) score of <26. All men completed two psychometric questionnaires: the IIEF-6 applied to partnered intercourse and the EHS applied to masturbation. Afterwards, the men underwent the NPTR test with Rigiscan for two consecutive nights in good sleep condition.

Researchers calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of EHS and IIEF-6 scales, with NPTR as the standard. They also determined potential correlations between EHS, IIEF-6, and NPTR results.

For the diagnosis of erectile dysfunction, the EHS scale had a sensitivity of 60.0 percent, specificity of 95.7 percent, positive predictive value of 83.3 percent, negative predictive value of 86.9 percent, and coincidence rate of 86.2 percent.

The strength of erection in masturbation as evaluated by the EHS performed satisfactorily in discriminating predominantly organic from apparently nonorganic erectile dysfunction, with the correlation coefficient being 0.572 and area under the curve being 0.78.