Table 9

Comparison of dichotomous efficacy results for sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil

Sildenafil (50/100 mg)

Tadalafil (10/20 mg)

Vardenafil (10/20 mg)

Number of

Percent with

Number of

Percent with

Number of

Percent with

Outcome

Trials

Patients

Sildenafil

Placebo

NNT/NNTp/NNH (95% CI)

Trials

Patients

Tadalafil

Placebo

NNT/NNTp/NNH (95% CI)

Trials

Patients

Vardenafil

Placebo

NNT/NNTp/NNH (95% CI)

Efficacy

Improved erections

29

5467

76

23

1.9 (1.8 to 2.0)

7

1651

75

24

1.9 (1.8 to 2.1)

7

2856

71

22

2.0 (1.9 to 2.2)

Withdrawal

All-cause

30

5562

8

12

23 (17 to 37)

5

1334

13

19

15 (8.8 to 46)

5

2061

20

32

7.7 (6.0 to 11)

Lack of efficacy

30

5463

1.2

4.4

25 (21 to 34)

6

1435

3.3

7.5

24 (14 to 69)

6

2320

4.0

12

11 (9.0 to 16)

Adverse event

31

5787

1.6

0.6

120 (67 to 560)

7

1657

3.4

1.5

52 (29 to 260)

7

2868

3.3

1.8

65 (37 to 250)

Adverse events

All cause

18

2862

50

30

4.9 (4.2 to 6.0)

3

590

47

25

4.6 (3.4 to 7.2)

insufficient data

Serious

17

2591

2.5

2.4

not calculated

7

1655

1.2

1.1

not calculated

5

1984

2.2

3.2

not calculated

Headache

34

6386

17

5.2

8.6 (7.6 to 10)

7

1810

13

3.4

11 (8.5 to 14)

6

2411

15

4.1

9.6 (7.9 to 12)

Dyspepsia

26

4967

7.8

2.3

18 (15 to 23)

6

1401

10

0.2

11 (8.8 to 14)

5

1972

3.8

0.3

31 (22 to 48)

Flushing

33

6363

13

1.9

9.0 (8.1 to 10)

6

1530

4.8

0.2

24 (18 to 38)

5

1984

13

0.8

8.0 (6.9 to 9.6)

Rhinitis

21

4283

5.4

2.1

31 (23 to 47)

2

712

3.1

0.5

not calculated

5

2212

7.9

3.6

23 (16 to 42)

NNT is given in standard font, NNTp in bold, and NNH in bold italic. No NNT/NNTp/NNH was calculated unless there was a statistically significant difference

Moore et al. BMC Urology 2005 5:18   doi:10.1186/1471-2490-5-18