Injections were the most frequently used therapy and demonstrated a significant upward trend over time. Surgical interventions were less common overall, with prosthesis implantation and plication representing the largest shares, and grafting associated with a higher risk of de novo erectile dysfunction.
Real-World Patterns in Peyronie’s Disease
Peyronie’s disease remains one of the more undercharacterized conditions in men’s health, despite its significant impact on sexual function and quality of life.
While clinical trials and specialty center reports have shaped much of the current understanding, real-world data reflecting how the disease presents and is managed across the broader U.S. population have been limited. A large retrospective analysis using the PearlDiver Mariner database now offers a clearer view of the demographics, comorbidities, and treatment patterns among 176,969 American men diagnosed with Peyronie’s disease between 2010 and 2022.
The study identified adult male patients with a mean age of 58.9 years, reinforcing that Peyronie’s disease predominantly affects men in late middle age. The comorbidity burden in this population is notable. Hypertension was present in 72.9% of patients, while 40.4% had diabetes and 31.1% were classified as obese. Smoking was reported in 41.5% of cases. These findings demonstrate that cardiometabolic conditions are highly prevalent among men diagnosed with Peyronie’s disease.
Beyond cardiometabolic disease, other clinically relevant associations emerged. Erectile dysfunction was documented in 28.2% of patients, and 19% carried a diagnosis of depression within a year of their Peyronie’s diagnosis. Dupuytren’s contracture was identified in 3.1% of patients, and penile trauma was coded in 0.2% of cases.
Geographically, the highest proportion of patients resided in the southern United States, accounting for 42.9% of diagnoses. Additionally, 30.9% of patients had documented social determinants of health.
Despite the availability of multiple treatment approaches, only 13.2% of patients received therapy during the study period. Intraplaque injections were the most frequently utilized treatment, administered to 7.2% of the overall cohort. Use of injections demonstrated a statistically significant upward trend over time (p = 0.014).
Surgical management was reported in 8.1% of patients. Among surgical interventions, penile plication comprised 35.1%, grafting procedures accounted for 13%, prosthesis implantation represented 36.2%, and 15.7% underwent multiple techniques. Grafting was associated with a higher risk of de novo erectile dysfunction. Inflatable prostheses were the favored option for prosthetic management. Overall, surgical intervention rates remained stable over time.
In summary, this large real-world analysis demonstrates that men with Peyronie’s disease frequently have significant comorbidities, particularly hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and smoking exposure. Erectile dysfunction and depression are common within a year of diagnosis. Treatment rates remain low, with intraplaque injections representing the most commonly used therapy and increasing in use over time. Surgical interventions are less common and have shown stable utilization trends throughout the study period.
Key Takeaways:
- In this real-world cohort of 176,969 men, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and smoking were highly prevalent, underscoring the substantial comorbidity burden in this population. Erectile dysfunction and depression were also common within a year of diagnosis.
Despite multiple available therapeutic options, only 13.2% of patients underwent treatment during the study period, highlighting a significant gap between diagnosis and intervention.
FAQs:
1. What are the most common comorbidities among patients with Peyronie’s disease?
Hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity, affecting 72.9% of patients, followed by diabetes (40.4%) and obesity (31.1%). Smoking was reported in 41.5% of cases. Erectile dysfunction was present in 28.2% of patients, and 19% had depression within a year of diagnosis. Dupuytren’s contracture was identified in 3.1%, and penile trauma in 0.2%.
2. How many patients with Peyronie’s disease receive treatment?
Only 13.2% of the 176,969 patients identified in the study received therapy during the study period, highlighting a substantial gap between diagnosis and intervention.
3. What is the most commonly used treatment for Peyronie’s disease?
Intraplaque injections were the most frequently utilized therapy, administered to 7.2% of patients. Their use increased significantly over time (p = 0.014), indicating a growing preference for this treatment approach.
4. How often is surgery performed, and what procedures are most common?
Surgical intervention was reported in 8.1% of patients. Among those undergoing surgery, penile prosthesis implantation accounted for 36.2%, plication for 35.1%, grafting for 13%, and multiple techniques for 15.7%. Grafting was associated with a higher risk of de novo erectile dysfunction, and overall surgical trends remained stable over time.