阴茎异常勃起和许多其他疾病相关,同时还有可能合并不同的临床表现。[1]Montague DK, Jarow J, Broderick GA, et al; American Urological Association. Guideline on the management of priapism. 2003. http://www.auanet.org (last accessed 22 April 2016).http://www.auanet.org/common/pdf/education/clinical-guidance/Priapism.pdfhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14501756?tool=bestpractice.com[3]Broderick GA, Kadioglu A, Bivalacqua TJ, et al. Priapism: pathogenesis, epidemiology, and management. J Sex Med. 2010;7:476-500.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20092449?tool=bestpractice.com[4]Berger R, Billups K, Brock G, et al; AFUD Thought Leader Panel on Evaluation and Treatment of Priapism. Report of the American Foundation for Urologic Disease (AFUD) Thought Leader Panel for evaluation and treatment of priapism. Int J Impot Res. 2001;13(suppl 5):S39-S43.http://www.nature.com/ijir/journal/v13/n5s/pdf/3900777a.pdfhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11781746?tool=bestpractice.com流行病学研究依然难以给出解释,阴茎异常勃起的估计人口风险,从发病率或患病率来看,基本上是未知的。[2]Burnett AL, Bivalacqua TJ. Priapism: current principles and practice. Urol Clin North Am. 2007;34:631-642.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17983902?tool=bestpractice.com数据显示阴茎异常勃起的发病率约在每年每10万人中有0.5-1.0人(首次发病人口数量)。[5]Van der Horst C, Stuebinger H, Seif C, et al. Priapism: etiology, pathophysiology and management. Int Braz J Urol. 2003;29:391-400.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15745583?tool=bestpractice.com[6]Kulmala RV, Lehtonen TA, Tammela TL. Priapism, its incidence and seasonal distribution in Finland. Scand J Urol Nephrol. 1995;29:93-96.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7618054?tool=bestpractice.com[7]Eland IA, van der Lei J, Stricker BH, et al. Incidence of priapism in the general population. Urology. 2001;57:970-972.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11337305?tool=bestpractice.com然而,这些研究都有可能低估了阴茎异常勃起的真实患病率,因为过去的研究只纳入了勃起时间较长且需要医学干预治疗的患者。[1]Montague DK, Jarow J, Broderick GA, et al; American Urological Association. Guideline on the management of priapism. 2003. http://www.auanet.org (last accessed 22 April 2016).http://www.auanet.org/common/pdf/education/clinical-guidance/Priapism.pdfhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14501756?tool=bestpractice.com[2]Burnett AL, Bivalacqua TJ. Priapism: current principles and practice. Urol Clin North Am. 2007;34:631-642.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17983902?tool=bestpractice.com
特殊人群(合并神经疾病、血液学异常、恶性肿瘤的患者)是阴茎异常勃起的高发病风险人群。例如,镰状细胞贫血病患者一生发生阴茎异常勃起的概率为29%-42%。[8]Mantadakis E, Cavender JD, Rogers ZR, et al. Prevalence of priapism in children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 1999;21:518-522.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10598664?tool=bestpractice.com[9]Adeyoju AB, Olujohungbe AB, Morris J, et al. Priapism in sickle-cell disease; incidence, risk factors and complications - an international multicentre study. BJU Int. 2002;90:898-902.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12460353?tool=bestpractice.com美国有超过 7 万人患有镰状细胞病,世界范围内有高达 2000 万到 2500 万人患此病。[10]Aliyu ZY, Kato GJ, Taylor J 6th, et al. Sickle cell disease and pulmonary hypertension in Africa: a global perspective and review of epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management. Am J Hematol. 2008;83:63-70.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17910044?tool=bestpractice.com镰状细胞贫血病是儿童发生阴茎异常勃起的最常见病因,约占63%,并且是发生缺血性阴茎异常勃起的首要原因,约占成人发病病因的23%。[11]Nelson JH 3rd, Winter CC. Priapism: evolution of management in 48 patients in a 22-year series. J Urol. 1977;117:455-458.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15137?tool=bestpractice.com[9]Adeyoju AB, Olujohungbe AB, Morris J, et al. Priapism in sickle-cell disease; incidence, risk factors and complications - an international multicentre study. BJU Int. 2002;90:898-902.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12460353?tool=bestpractice.com在2008年,一项研究对39例镰状细胞贫血病患者进行了长达8年的随访,并评估其发生勃起功能障碍情况。在所有受访患者中,有73%的患者承认发生过间歇性阴茎异常勃起,然而只有5%的人被告知阴茎异常勃起是镰状细胞贫血病的一种并发症。[12]Bennett N, Mulhall J. Sickle cell disease status and outcomes of African-American men presenting with priapism. J Sex Med. 2008;5:1244-1250.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18312286?tool=bestpractice.com[13]Feldstein VA. Posttraumatic "high-flow" priapism evaluation with color flow Doppler sonography. J Ultrasound Med. 1993;12:589-593.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8246338?tool=bestpractice.com医学界和公众需要加强对阴茎异常勃起的觉察,需要针对该病对他们加强教育。[4]Berger R, Billups K, Brock G, et al; AFUD Thought Leader Panel on Evaluation and Treatment of Priapism. Report of the American Foundation for Urologic Disease (AFUD) Thought Leader Panel for evaluation and treatment of priapism. Int J Impot Res. 2001;13(suppl 5):S39-S43.http://www.nature.com/ijir/journal/v13/n5s/pdf/3900777a.pdfhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11781746?tool=bestpractice.com尽管缺乏充足的证据,但是用血管活性药治疗勃起功能障碍仍有可能引起阴茎异常勃起,而且在美国,这样的治疗方式占有很高的比例。