Abstract:
Introduction: Exercise is a simple, safe, and affordable solution that can be easily taught to men with chronic illnesses to
improve their psychological burden and sexual health.
Aim: Since the role of exercise in ameliorating the psychological burden associated with erectile dysfunction (ED) in hepatitis
C (HC) men was not explored, this research aimed to explore this role.
Material and methods: This HC study was a randomized-controlled exercise-rehabilitation trial. Recruitment of HC men with
ED was conducted from El-Sahel Teaching Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Men (n = 46) were randomly assigned to a 12-week walking-ex-
ercise group (WEG, n = 23 HC men with ED received a one-hour treadmill walking 3 times weekly) or a control group (n = 23 HC
men with ED, who did not change their daily physical activity during the research period). Besides Beck’s Depression Inventory
(BDI), Arabic Version of the Five-Item Version International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), Profile of Mood States Question-
naire (POMSQ), and Ten-Statement Rosenberg self-esteem scale (TSRSE), HC participants’ liver enzymes, alanine transaminase
(ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST) were assessed.
Results: Significant improvements of POMSQ, BDI, AST, IIEF-5, ALT, and TSRSE within the WEG only were seen. No significant
changes occurred in the control group’s parameters.
Conclusions: Exercise (walking) is a good modality to improve liver enzymes, ED, and ED-associated psychological burden
(depression, low self-esteem, and mood disturbances) in HC men with ED.
