Andrea Sansone

University of Rome Tor Vergata | UNIROMA2 · Dipartimento di Medicina dei Sistemi

Background Videogame use is increasingly prevalent in people of all ages, and despite the wide amount of scientific evidence proving a role for electronic entertainment in human health, there is no evidence about the relation between use of videogames and sexual health. Aim To investigate the association between use of videogames and male sexual h...

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2, represents an unprecedented challenge for healthcare. COVID-19 features a state of hyperinflammation resulting in a “cytokine storm”, which leads to severe complications, such as the development of micro-thrombosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Despite isolation measures, t...

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED), as the hallmark of endothelial dysfunction, could be a short- or long-term complication of COVID-19. Additionally, being ED a clinical marker and predictor of Non-communicable Chronic Diseases, particularly cardiovascular, subjects with ED could potentially have a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. Objecti...

Introduction Strategies of harm reduction (HR) include policies and community-based measures aimed to reduce the risk of self-harm while continuing potentially hazardous behaviors, such as illegal drug, alcohol, and tobacco use. Objectives To assess whether and to which extent strategies of HR could have beneficial, or harmful, effects on sexual a...

Premature ejaculation (PE) and poor ejaculatory control are multidimensional sexual symptoms estimated to affect almost one-third of men, severely impairing the overall quality of life of patients and their partners. However, patients who do not completely fulfil the definition criteria for PE rarely receive a diagnosis or adequate treatment, with...

Introduction Although the normal intravaginal ejaculation latency time (NIELT) in the eyes of patients with premature ejaculation (PE) and expected intravaginal ejaculation latency time (EIELT) are critically influential in the treatment of patients with PE, there is a significant dearth of exploratory research on these clinical parameters among pa...

Introduction The current cutoff values of IELT for diagnosing lifelong premature ejaculation (LPE) do not always match clinical practice, and the inconsistency in the cutoff values of IELT among different definitions has also posed challenges to both clinical management and research of PE. Objective To re-evaluate the IELT and to find evidence-bas...

Introduction Female sexual dysfunctions (FSDs) represent a common issue among the general population. However, in many cultures and societies, such as China, FSD still needs to be addressed in the urological setting, so far more focused on Andrology. However, FSDs can be easily investigated in clinical practice, and for research purposes using vali...

Female orgasmic experience and intensity depend on several biological, anatomical, cultural, psychological and relational factors, yet studies have not explored how receptiveness to different stimulations (clitoral, vaginal, or both) affects subjectively perceived orgasmic intensity. Using data from sexually active, heterosexual women in two Italia...

Purpose: Over the past 40–50 years, demographic shifts and the obesity epidemic have coincided with significant changes in lifestyle habits, including a rise in excessive alcohol consumption. This increase in alcohol intake is a major public health concern due to its far-reaching effects on human health, particularly on metabolic processes and male...

We aimed to investigate if the type 5 phosphodiesterase (PDE5), an enzyme with cardinal biological functions in sexual and cardiovascular health, can be detected and quantited in human serum. Blood samples were collected from control male and female subjects. PDE5 levels were measured by a specific ELISA kit. ROC curves weighted for age and serum l...

Background Although the normal intravaginal ejaculation latency time (NIELT) as subjectively perceived by patients with premature ejaculation (PE) and expected IELT (EIELT), which represents the individual’s expectations of what treatment for PE would achieve, are critically influential in the treatment of patients with PE, there is a significant d...

Background The current cutoff values of intravaginal ejaculation latency time for diagnosing lifelong premature ejaculation do not always match clinical practice, and the inconsistency in the cutoff values of intravaginal ejaculation latency time among different definitions has also posed challenges to both clinical management and research of prema...

Objectives In recent years, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has shown promising efficacy in treating male sexual dysfunction (MSD). In TCM theory, the kidney has a primary role, being closely related to the metabolism and the endocrine, nervous, reproductive systems, and, not ultimately, to the sexual function, as the “Kidney storing essence (jī...

Hemochromatosis (HC) is characterized by the progressive accumulation of iron in the body, resulting in organ damage. Endocrine complications are particularly common, especially when the condition manifests in childhood or adolescence, when HC can adversely affect linear growth or pubertal development, with significant repercussions on quality of l...

Background Patients with premature ejaculation (PE) are often concerned and distressed about their sexual performance. Hence, they may be more willing to exploit their refractory period to employ sexual coping strategies in order to improve their unsatisfactory sexual intercourse compared with patients without PE. Aim The study sought to verify th...

Background Among the plethora of urogynecological conditions possibly affecting women, some of them, less explored, have significant impacts on sexological and psychological health, with a mutual influence. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the sexological and psychological correlates of four urogynecological pathologies in a sample of...

Introduction Erectile dysfunction (ED) or premature ejaculation (PE) can severely affect the quality of life and wellbeing of both couple members. Sexual health care providers, including andrologists and sexologists, should perceive ED/PE as a collaborative health issue for men and their sexual partners. Thus, this study was designed to better unde...

Background Cell therapy (CT) is a form of regenerative medicine under investigation for the management of male sexual dysfunction (MSD). Aim We sought to perform a systematic review of published information on CT for MSD and provide an official position statements for the European Society for Sexual Medicine. Methods A comprehensive bibliographic...

Kunyaza is a traditional sexual technique reported in some regions of Central Africa that aims to trigger peri-orgasmic fluid production. A personal narrative experience of a 29-year-old unmarried woman from Kenya suggested that this particular technique may have also been practiced in Kenya for a long time. Indeed, an oral tradition about “how to...

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns had significant impacts on sexual functioning and behavior. Partnered sexual activity decreased overall, while solo sex activities such as masturbation and pornography consumption increased exponentially. Given the ongoing debate about the effects of pornography on sexual function, it was prudent to consider how...

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western Medicine both have shown efficacy in treating male sexual dysfunction (MSD). The aim of this perspective paper is to discuss a possible link between Western medicine and TCM in the MSD field as represented by the entity of Klotho. Klotho is a recently discovered protein, mainly expressed in the kidney,...

Psychometric scales, commonly used to gauge sexual function, can sometimes be influenced by response biases. In our research from June 2020 to April 2021, we examined the accuracy of self-reported sexual function scales. We invited patients from the Department of Infertility and Sexual Medicine at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen Univer...

Metaverse is the implementation of an Internet-based hypothetical meta-universe, which should facilitate an immersive experience in meeting people, working, shopping and other leisure activities. Immersive reality makes it possible to feel involved in a virtual environment using the mechanism of the "embodied simulations", i.e., the capacity to evo...

Background The renin-angiotensin system and its metabolites are crucial in the pathogenesis and progression of complications of diabetes. Aim In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of angiotensin 1-7 non-peptide agonist AVE 0991 (576 ug/kg/day i.p.) on diabetic endothelial dysfunction. Materials and methods In this experimental animal study...

Male sexual dysfunction (MSD) is an umbrella term covering a number of diseases that impair sexual functioning and significantly affect patients’ and partners’ quality of life. Their prevalence is quite heterogeneous and, for many of them, age dependent, as many general health risk factors also constitute a threat to sexual and reproductive health,...

Background Low testosterone concentrations affect 2–13% of adult males, with a direct association between reduction in testosterone (T) concentrations and cardiovascular events. Lifestyle habits have been linked to visceral fat accumulation and endocrine disorders like secondary hypogonadism. Alcohol intake has also been a topic of debate, with stu...

Among all possible human activities, sexual activity stands out as inherently multisensory, engaging touch, taste, smell, sound, and sight, with the prominence of each sense varying across different connections and experiences. The importance of touch for sexual activity is unsurprising, given the pivotal significance of intimacy in molding sexual...

Introduction: Premature ejaculation (PE) is a prevalent sexual dysfunction in men that greatly affects their quality of life. In PE, the duration of sexual performance is considered an important aspect. However, a self-estimated value of intravaginal ejaculation latency time (perceived IELT, PIELT) as a criterion for diagnosis has not been specifi...

Objectives Internal working models (IWM) represent the internal representation about the self, expressed by a sense of self-worth (+) or self-blaming (-), and significant others, expressed by the expectation of availability and support (+) or indifference (-), guiding the interpersonal strategies to regulate intimate affects and choosing romantic a...

Objectives To carry out a real-life retrospective, multicenter survey on the prevalence, subtype, and proposed treatments of premature ejaculation in China. Methods Real-life data were provided by 8 major Centers from China, selected as active in basic and clinical research on PE and participating to international meetings of sexual medicine and a...

Objectives No information exists about the impact of ageism and dysfunctional beliefs on quality of sexual life of elderly people, considering several sexual orientations. Aim of this study was to evaluate: (1) the presence of “ageism” in elderly heterosexual and homosexual persons (2) the impact of ageism on sexual activity/sexual satisfaction of...

Objectives We investigated the effects of the sildenafil orodispersible film (ODF) 75 mg dose on both sexual quality of life and erectile function based on the results from an observational study in daily practice in Italy. Methods This was a post-hoc analysis of results from an observational, real-life study carried out in six centers in Italy on...

Background Although the use of the Web has brought major advances in every step of the research process, this also comes with several methodological challenges. Aim The article presents the European Society for Sexual Medicine's position statements on key methodological concerns relative to Web-based research in sexual medicine. Methods The autho...

Background Although acupuncture is widely used to treat premature ejaculation (PE), its effectiveness remains highly controversial. Aim To evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture on PE. Methods According to the relevant keywords, 11 major English and Chinese databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture al...

Sociosexual Orientation has been described as “individual differences in willingness to have sex with people with whom there is no emotional relationship”. This study aims to investigate a possible correlation between Sociosexual Orientation (SO) and the Capacity to Love (CTL) and explore differences in well-being or distress between sociosexual pe...

Study question Which parameters are associated with spontaneous alterations in semen analysis in infertile men? Summary answer Changes in semen parameters are modulated by abstinence time, accessory gland function and fluctuations in FSH serum concentration, which is bound to FSHB c.-211G>T variant. What is known already There is a strong within-...

Background: There is a strong within-subject alteration of semen parameters in men with infertility. However, it remains unknown in which subgroup variations are likely to occur and which semen parameters are affected. Objective: To evaluate parameters associated with spontaneous alterations in semen analysis. Patients and methods: We retrospe...

Background The newly devised orodispersible film (ODF) of sildenafil is the first phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5i) available in a 75-mg dose. This intermediate dose and the particular properties of the ODF formulation can improve the clinical management of erectile dysfunction (ED) patients. Aim We investigated the effects of the sildena...

: Premature ejaculation (PE), despite its wide prevalence, is largely underdiagnosed and undertreated. Being a multifactorial dysfunction with strong cultural characteristics, PE requires skillful attitudes in the psychosexological support, necessary to manage the patient's and the couple's expectations, as well as in the medical treatment. Dapoxet...

50% of patients with PE also report ED and the correlation between erectile and ejaculatory function is so well‐known that recently a new taxonomic entity called “loss of control of erection and ejaculation” (LCEE) has been proposed This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved Although it has been assumed that chronic cannabis use ma...

Objectives The term “Incel”, which means “involuntary celibate”, refers to the members of an online subculture, mainly composed by heterosexual men. These subjects find difficult or impossible to have a romantic and / or a sexual partner and they move on to attacks and manifestations of hatred towards the female gender, until they transform, in the...

Objectives The term “Incel”, which means “involuntary celibate”, refers to the members of an online subculture, mainly composed by heterosexual men. These subjects find difficult or impossible to have a romantic and / or a sexual partner and they move on to attacks and manifestations of hatred towards the female gender, until they transform, in the...

Objectives We aimed to investigate to what extent COVID-19 affected erectile function in affected patients. Methods We reviewed data from the [email protected] online survey (performed between April 7th and May 4th, 2020 in Italy; Mollaioli et al, J Sex Med. 2021 Jan;18(1):35-49) to retrieve a sample of Italian male sexually active subjects with r...

Objectives We aimed to investigate the difference in perceived intensity of orgasm among women experiencing clitoral or vaginally activated orgasm (VAO). Methods We reviewed data from the [email protected] online survey (Mollaioli et al, J Sex Med. 2021 Jan;18(1):35-49) to retrieve a sample of heterosexual Italian sexually active female subjects....

Introduction Gout is the most prevalent inflammatory crystal arthropathy worldwide and is a chronic disease requiring strict, lifelong adherence to drug therapy and healthy lifestyles. Gout has a heavy burden on the patient's sexual health, owing to the associated inflammatory status, long-term complications, and chronic pain; however, the effects...

Orodispersible film (ODF) is a new dosage form that disperses rapidly in the mouth without water or swallowing. The main ingredient of an ODF is a polymer that can be both of natural or synthetic origin. Maltodextrin is a natural polymer, mainly used in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical fields. This review aims to examine the literature regarding OD...

Objectives To explore the value of dual-energy computed tomography (DE-CT) angiography in diagnosis of arteriogenic erectile dysfunction (ED) patients and feasibility of new scanning area that excludes the testis. Materials and methods Ninety-three patients suspected of suffering arterial ED and 40 health volunteers underwent penile duplex Doppler...

Background Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a chronic, inflammatory-allergic disease of the cornea and conjunctiva. Environmental factors, such as light exposure, have been supposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of ocular inflammation and in the worsening of VKC. Objective The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of reduced sunlig...

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is associated with a plethora of micro- and macro-vascular complications which should be carefully investigated and treated in order to improve quality of life and reduce the risk of premature mortality. Female and male sexual dysfunction often occurs in diabetes; while cardiovascular complications are clearly involved, psych...

Study question In a cohort of idiopathic and unexplained infertile men we aimed to identify subgroups with similar characteristics, and therewith underlying etiologic factors, by clustering approach. Summary answer We identified two distinct patient clusters. Across all diverse phenotypes of infertility, the strongest segregation markers were FSHB...

The use of Dating Applications (DAs) is widespread, and in some cases could be associated with psychosexological issues. Hence, we decided to investigate hypersexual behavior and depression symptoms among DA users and non-users. We recruited a snowball convenience sample of 1000 subjects through an online platform in 2020 for a cross-sectional stud...

In the last years, hypersexual behavior has been broadly scientifically studied. The interest in this topic, belonging to psycho-sexology and sexual medicine, has been due to its still unclear aetiology, nature, and its manifestation in relationship with several organic and psychopathological conditions. So, the specialist (the psychologist, psychi...

Introduction: : First- and second-generation antipsychotics are highly accountable for causing a plethora of medical side effects, ranging from metabolic imbalances to sexual dysfunction (SD), that frequently undermine patient-doctor relationships. Nevertheless, to date antipsychotics are one of the best treatment options for dealing with numerous...

Objective To explore the microbial etiology of urethritis in Vietnamese men and the association with patients’ characteristics, especially their sexual behaviors. Methods This study was conducted on 349 men who presented with symptomatic urethritis and evidence of STIs (determined by multiplex PCR tests) at the Department of Andrology and Sexual M...

Peter Abelard (1079 ‐ 1142) is still considered one of the giants of philosophy, theology, and psychology, and the unsurpassed master of dialectical debate. Born in Le Pallet, near Nantes, Abelard became an academic and wandering cleric of great fame, founder of several schools that attracted students from all countries, arousing the admiration of...

Objectives The quality of sexual life of elderly people represents an understudied topic of sexual medicine and of psycho-sexology. Hence, we aimed to evaluate the association of specific psycho-relational variables, such as intimacy, increased affective gestures towards a partner (AGtP), daily shared activities, and dyadic satisfaction, with the p...

PurposeThe association between gout, the most common crystal arthropathy, and sexual dysfunctions has often been investigated by studies in the last decades. Despite the presence of shared risk factors and comorbidities and the possible effects on sexual health of long-term gout complications, awareness of this association is severely lacking and t...

In the human, the organs intended for reproduction and copulation include internal organs, not visible, essentially for reproduction, and external organs, visible, for copulation. Thus, in the male reproductive system, the testis and the epididymis form a morphological and functional unit for the production of sperm; the accessory genital glands, i...

Testicular size is an important parameter to investigate male reproductive and sexual functions. However, diagnosis and treatments are hindered by the lack of country-specific standard values for testicular volume. We conducted the present retrospective chart review study on 24,440 men who sought consultation at Andrology and Sexual Medicine—Hanoi...

Introduction and Objectives About 30-75% of infertile men are diagnosed with idiopathic infertility, thereby lacking major causative factors to explain their impaired fertility status. In this study, we used a large cohort of idiopathic infertile men to determine whether subgroups could be identified by an unbiased clustering approach and whether u...

Background Due to the highly variable clinical phenotype, Klinefelter Syndrome (KS) is underdiagnosed. Objective Assessment of supervised machine learning (sML)-based prediction models for identification of KS among azoospermic patients, and comparison to expert clinical evaluation. Materials and methods Retrospective patient data (karyotype, age...

Introduction The counterfeit phenomenon is a largely under-reported issue, with potentially large burden for healthcare. The market for counterfeit drugs used in sexual medicine, most notably type 5 phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDE5i), is rapidly growing. Aims To report the health risks associated with the use of counterfeit medications, the reas...

Introduction: Long term complications of COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2, involve many organ systems, dramatically worsening the quality of life, and finally contributing to impaired physical functioning. Despite the presence of well-identified pathogenetic mechanisms, the effect of "Long COVID" on sexual health has been only margin...

Introduction The “lost penis syndrome” (LPS) is a term often used in non-clinical settings to describe the subjective perception of the loss of cutaneous and proprioceptive feelings of the male organ during vaginal penetration. Although deserving clinical attention, this syndrome did not receive any consideration in the medical literature. Notwiths...

The theory of sexuality by Sigmund Freud represents a landmark for all the studies about human sexology, and not only from a historical point of view. However, the development of sexuality is not limited to the infancy, but is a process lasting during the entire arc of life, and it is characterized by several bio-psycho-social systems and relationa...

Background: Adequate training in tobacco, nicotine dependence and treatment is lacking in Medical School education. With the rise in popularity of electronic alternatives to cigarettes, future physicians should also be provided with the more recent scientific evidence on these products during their undergraduate studies. We introduced an e-learnin...

In the field of female sexuality, the existence of the so-called “G-spot” represents a topic still anchored to anecdotes and opinions and explained using non-scientific points, as well as being overused for commercial and mediatic purposes. Purpose of Review The scope of this review is to give an update on the current state of information regardin...

Sommario L’attività fisica rappresenta uno strumento essenziale per la prevenzione e la tutela della salute individuale. Ciononostante, solo una minoranza degli adulti raggiunge i livelli raccomandati di esercizio fisico. Nell’ambito della sessuologia medica, intervenire sulla sedentarietà può migliorare la salute sessuale e riproduttiva; tuttavia,...

Restriction measures enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic had severe effects on male sexual and reproductive health. We aimed to investigate the real-life impact and perception of sexual function in 2020 in Italy, as the first Western country experiencing a national lockdown by measuring relative search volume for keywords pertaining to sexual heal...

Introduction Hypersexuality is a complex behavioral dysfunction concerning the excess of sexual activities. In this study, we aim to investigate the role of attachment styles, post-traumatic and depression symptoms in hypersexual behavior. Methods We recruited through an online platform a snowball convenience sample of 1025 subjects (females: n=73...

Background Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a bilateral, chronic, allergic condition mostly affecting children. Clinical evaluations may not necessarily reflect the impact of the disease on the patients’ health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). We aimed to evaluate HRQoL in children at VKC diagnosis and to analyze correlations between HRQoL and...

Purpose: Infertility represents a peculiar social burden affecting more than 15% of couples, provoking it a real threat to the general quality of life and to the sexual health. The medicalization (diagnosis, therapy and follow up) of the lack of fertility is frequently a challenge in term of personal and couple's involvement. In particular, while...

Background: Vulvo-Vaginal Atrophy (VVA) affects about fifty percent of postmenopausal women, contributing more vulnerable sexual and psycho-relational equilibrium. To date, no psychometric instruments have been designed to assess the impact of coital pain associated with VVA on sexual quality of life. Aim: To validate a new psychometric tool, th...

Purpose Symptoms of hypogonadism are often reported by subjects with normal serum testosterone (T) levels. We aimed to assess the association between clinical symptoms in andrological outpatients and sex steroids levels. Methods This is a retrospective cross-sectional cohort study in an Academic clinic and research unit. International Index of Ere...

STUDY QUESTION Does pituitary response to a GnRH stimulation test differ according to the different FSHB-211 G/T genotypes? SUMMARY ANSWER The promoter polymorphism FSHB-211 G > T affects the pituitary response to exogenous GnRH stimulation by reducing FSH and increasing LH outputs. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The FSHB-211 G > T single nucleotide polym...

Background. Diabetes mellitus (DM), one of the worldwide leading causes of death, is associated with a plethora of micro- and macro-vascular complications which should be carefully investigated and, in case, treated in order to improve quality of life and reduce the risk of premature mortality. Objective To investigate and report current evidence...