Prevalence and associations of erectile dysfunction in a sample of Italian males with type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in a sample of type 2 diabetic patients. As secondary endpoint, we evaluated the levels of some adipocytokines in patients with and without ED.


METHODS
We enrolled 220 males affected by type 2 diabetes mellitus. We administered the IIEF (International Index of Erectile Function), SAS (self-rating anxiety scale) and SDS (self-rating depression scale) questionnaires. We evaluated body mass index, glycemic control, fasting plasma insulin (FPI), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), lipid profile, sexual hormones, adiponectin (ADN), resistin, retinol binding protein-4 (RBP-4), visfatin, vaspin.


RESULTS
52.9% of patients were affected by ED. Patients with a HbA1c <7% (53 mmol/mol) in all measurements in the two previous years had a lower incidence of ED, while the prevalence of ED increased with the increasing of times HbA1c was >7% (53 mmol/mol). Patients with ED had higher levels of triglycerides, and higher levels of FPI, 9.9 μU/ml vs 8.2 μU/ml (p<0.05). Resistin levels were higher in patients with ED compared to those without ED (p<0.05) and free testosterone was lower in patients affected by ED.


CONCLUSIONS
Almost half of type 2 diabetic patients attending our clinic were affected by ED and glycemic control seems to play a role in ED pathogenesis.
Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia and Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy; Center for the Study of Endocrine-Metabolic Pathophysiology and Clinical Research, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppe.derosa@unipv.it.
Giuseppe
G
Derosa
Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia and Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
Davide
D
Romano
Biometric Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
Carmine
C
Tinelli
Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia and Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
Angela
A
D'Angelo
Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia and Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy; PhD School in Experimental Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Pamela
P
Maffioli
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D013739:Testosterone
Erectile dysfunction; Hypertriglyceridemia; Insulin resistance; NCT01049750, ClinicalTrials.gov; Type 2 diabetes mellitus