Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common disorder among aging males. However, most aging males refuse to seek medical help
and believe that ED is an irreversible event in the aging process. The purpose of this study was to describe the current medical
management of ED in aging males and to examine whether it is too late to treat this disorder in these elderly men. From 2007 to
2008, 4507 patients diagnosed with ED were gathered from 46 centers in China; 4241 completed the study, 3837 of whom were
treated with sildenafi l. The 3837 patients were divided into fi ve groups based on age (group A: 20–30 years; group B: 31–40 years;
group C: 41–50 years; group D: 51–60 years; and group E: >60 years). After comparing pre- and posttreatment International
Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function domain (IIEF-EF) questionnaires, Erection Hardness Scale (EHS), and IIEF Q13
(“How satisfi ed have you been with your overall sex life?”), we discovered that the aging males had worse erectile function, erection
hardness, and sexual satisfaction than the younger males (P < 0.001). After treatment, the improvement rates in the IIEF-EF, EHS,
and IIEF Q13 scores were 107.0%, 83.1%, and 116.5%, respectively. The magnitude of these changes demonstrated signifi cant
differences among groups (P < 0.001). Accordingly, aging males are likely to benefi t more from medical treatment. We propose
that aging males should be informed that age is not a limiting factor for medical ED management, and it is never too late to treat.

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