A comprehensive review of monitoring methods for erectile dysfunction diagnosis

Abstract

Abstract Background Erectile dysfunction (ED) is commonly associated with cardiovascular diseases and age. However, it is important to note that it can also affect younger males, potentially serving as an early indicator of compromised overall health. Despite the high prevalence, ED remains underdiagnosed due to factors such as reluctance to testing, concerns about privacy, and the persistent social stigma surrounding the condition. Objective This review offers an overview of diagnostic and monitoring devices employed in the assessment of nocturnal ED and aims to assess both historical and recent developments in this field. It considers the emerging technological trends in digital innovation, particularly in the context of home‐based decentralized healthcare settings. Methods A comprehensive literature search was performed via PubMed using keywords ‘nocturnal penile tumescence’, ‘NPT’, ‘sleep‐related erection’, ‘SRE’, ‘rigidity monitoring’, ‘NPTR’, ‘tumescence monitoring’, ‘erectile dysfunction’ and ‘smart wearable’. All relevant literature was retrieved and reviewed. Web‐based Google and manual searches of references were also performed to identify relevant articles and solutions missed by online indexes. Findings An increasing number of methods and solutions are integrating digital technologies, harnessing sensors, and utilizing data analytics for continuous monitoring and AI‐assisted prediction of ED. Conclusion The future of ED monitoring is expected to leverage digital technologies to enhance evaluation, monitoring, and accurate diagnosis in decentralized healthcare environments maintaining patient privacy and driving early detection and intervention.

Keywords

• axial rigidity
• digital health
• erectile dysfunction (ED)
• nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT)
• penile tumescence
• smart wearables