Stem cell therapy for erectile dysfunction: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common condition that negatively affects men's quality of life. It can have various causes, including psychological, vascular, and neurologic factors. Existing treatments for ED mainly focus on symptom relief rather than addressing the underlying cause. Stem cells (SCs) have shown potential as a therapeutic approach for ED due to their anti-inflammatory properties. OBJECTIVES: This systematic review aims to assess the current status of trials and determine the potential impact of SCs on male sexual health. METHODS: A comprehensive search strategy was employed to gather relevant articles from 6 electronic databases. The search included articles published until March 2023. The reference lists of articles were manually reviewed to identify additional studies of relevance. The eligibility criteria for inclusion in the analysis focused on clinical trials involving humans that evaluated the safety and efficacy of SC therapy for ED. Exclusion criteria encompassed case reports, case series, abstracts, reviews, and editorials, as well as studies involving animals or SC derivatives. Data extraction was performed via a standardized form with a focus on erectile outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 2847 articles were initially identified; 18 were included in the final analysis. These studies involved 373 patients with ED and various underlying medical conditions. Multiple types of SC were utilized in the treatment of ED: mesenchymal SCs, placental matrix-derived mesenchymal SCs, mesenchymal SC-derived exosomes, adipose-derived SCs, bone marrow-derived mononuclear SCs, and umbilical cord blood SCs. CONCLUSION: SC therapy shows promise as an innovative and safe treatment for organic ED. However, the lack of standardized techniques and controlled groups in many studies hampers the ability to evaluate and compare trials.