The prevalence of erectile dysfunction in the primary care setting: importance of risk factors for diabetes and vascular disease.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and associated risk factors has been described in many clinical settings, but there is little information regarding men seen by primary care physicians. We sought to identify independent factors associated with ED in a primary care setting.


METHODS
We surveyed a cross-sectional sample of 3921 Canadian men, aged 40 to 88 years, seen by primary care physicians. Participants completed a full medical history, physical examination, and measurement of fasting blood glucose and lipid levels. We used the International Index of Erectile Function to define ED as a score of less than 26 on the erectile function domain.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of ED was 49.4%. The presence of cardiovascular disease (odds ratio [OR], 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-1.81; P<.01) or diabetes (OR, 3.13; 95% CI, 2.35-4.16; P<.001) increased the probability of ED after adjustment for other confounders. Among those individuals without cardiovascular disease or diabetes, the calculated 10-year Framingham coronary risk (OR, 1.03 per 1% increase; 95% CI, 1.02-1.05; P<.001) and fasting blood glucose levels (OR, 1.14 per 18-mg/dL [1-mmol/L] increase; 95% CI, 1.04-1.24; P<.01) were independently associated with ED. Erectile dysfunction was also independently associated with undiagnosed hyperglycemia (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.02-2.10; P = .04), impaired fasting glucose (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.08-1.46; P = .004), and the metabolic syndrome (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.24-1.69; P<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, future coronary risk, and increasing fasting glucose levels are independently associated with ED. It remains to be determined if ED precedes the development of these conditions.
Grover
Steven A
SA
Centre for the Analysis of Cost-Effective Care and the Division of General Internal Medicine, The Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. steven.grover@mcgill.ca
Lowensteyn
Ilka
I
Kaouache
Mohammed
M
Marchand
Sylvie
S
Coupal
Louis
L
DeCarolis
Emidio
E
Zoccoli
Joseph
J
Defoy
Isabelle
I
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index