Glycosylated haemoglobin levels and the severity of erectile function in diabetic men.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between the levels of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and the severity of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men with diabetes mellitus (DM).


METHODS
This cross-sectional study included sexually active men with a diagnosis of DM attending a urological medical centre from January 2000 to December 2001. The 115 men with ED (95%) completed the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire, and fasting serum glucose and HbA1c serum levels were measured. The relationship between the severity of ED and serum HbA1c levels was assessed.


RESULTS
Of men with HbA1c levels of < 8%, half had mild, and 18% and 32% had moderate and severe ED, respectively (P = 0.038); of men with HbA1c levels of > or = 8%, 25%, 29%, and 46% had mild, moderate and severe ED, respectively (P = 0.008). In addition, men with HbA1c levels of > or = 11% had a statistically higher prevalence of severe ED (P = 0.002). There was no difference in severity of ED in the HbA1c subgroups when the duration of DM was < or = 5 years (P = 0.87), but most men with HbA1c levels of > or = 8% and a history of DM of 6-10 or > 10 years had severe ED (P < 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the severity of ED is associated with increasing HbA1c levels in diabetic men.
Rhoden
Ernani L
EL
Urology, Fundacao Faculdade Federal de Ciencias Medicas de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. ernanirh@terra.com.br
Ribeiro
Eduardo P
EP
Riedner
Charles E
CE
Teloken
Claudio
C
Souto
Carlos A V
CA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin