The Mediterranean Diet Benefit on Cardiovascular Hemodynamics and Erectile Function in Chronic Heart Failure Male Patients by Decoding Central and Peripheral Vessel Rheology

Background: Mediterranean diet was evaluated on erectile performance and cardiovascular hemodynamics, in chronic heart failure patients. Methods: 150 male stable heart failure patients were enrolled in the study (62 ± 10 years, New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes I–II, ejection fraction ≤40%). A detailed echocardiographic evaluation including estimation of the global longitudinal strain of the left ventricle and the systolic tissue doppler velocity of the tricuspid annulus was performed. Erectile dysfunction severity was assessed by the Sexual Health Inventory for Men-5 (SHIM-5) score. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated by the MedDietScore. Results: The SHIM-5 score was positively correlated with the MedDietScore (p = 0.006) and augmentation index (p = 0.031) and inversely correlated with age (p = 0.002). MedDietScore was negatively associated with intima-media-thickness (p < 0.001) and serum prolactin levels (p = 0.05). Multi-adjusted analysis revealed that the inverse relation of SHIM-5 and prolactin levels remained significant only among patients with low adherence to the Mediterranean diet (p = 0.012). Conclusion: Consumption of Mediterranean diet benefits cardiovascular hemodynamics, while suppressing serum prolactin levels. Such physiology may enhance erectile ability independently of the of the left ventricle ejection fraction.