Erectile Dysfunction Is Common among Patients with Gout.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether men with gout may have an increased prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) as compared with men without gout.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, men aged 18-89 presenting to the rheumatology clinic between August 26, 2010, and May 13, 2013, were asked to participate. The presence of ED was determined by the Sexual Health Inventory in Men (SHIM). SHIM classifies ED into 1 of 5 categories: absent (22-25), mild (17-21), mild to moderate (12-16), moderate (8-11), and severe (1-7). Patient's history, physical examination, and recent laboratory studies were reviewed as well. Descriptive statistics and subgroup analyses were used to summarize the data.


RESULTS
Of the 201 men surveyed, 83 had gout (control, n = 118). A significantly greater proportion of patients with gout (63, 76%) had ED versus patients without gout (60, 51%, p = 0.0003). A significantly greater proportion of patients with gout (22, 26%) had severe ED versus patients without gout (17, 15%, p = 0.04). Patients with gout had an average SHIM score of 14.4 versus 18.48 in patients without gout (p < 0.0001). There was a statistically significant association between gout and ED. The association remained significant after adjustment for age, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.


CONCLUSIONS
ED is present in most men with gout and is frequently severe. We propose that patients with gout be routinely screened for ED.
From the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, and the Cardiovascular Institute and Department of Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.N. Schlesinger, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine; D.C. Radvanski, MS, Former Research Coordinator, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine; J.Q. Cheng, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute and Department of Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; J.B. Kostis, MD, Professor of Medicine, John G. Detwiler Professor of Cardiology, and Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, Director of the Cardiovascular Institute, Associate Dean for Cardiovascular Research, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. schlesna@rutgers.edu.
Naomi
N
Schlesinger
From the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, and the Cardiovascular Institute and Department of Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.N. Schlesinger, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine; D.C. Radvanski, MS, Former Research Coordinator, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine; J.Q. Cheng, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute and Department of Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; J.B. Kostis, MD, Professor of Medicine, John G. Detwiler Professor of Cardiology, and Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, Director of the Cardiovascular Institute, Associate Dean for Cardiovascular Research, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Diane C
DC
Radvanski
From the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, and the Cardiovascular Institute and Department of Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.N. Schlesinger, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine; D.C. Radvanski, MS, Former Research Coordinator, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine; J.Q. Cheng, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute and Department of Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; J.B. Kostis, MD, Professor of Medicine, John G. Detwiler Professor of Cardiology, and Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, Director of the Cardiovascular Institute, Associate Dean for Cardiovascular Research, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Jerry Q
JQ
Cheng
From the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, and the Cardiovascular Institute and Department of Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.N. Schlesinger, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine; D.C. Radvanski, MS, Former Research Coordinator, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine; J.Q. Cheng, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute and Department of Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; J.B. Kostis, MD, Professor of Medicine, John G. Detwiler Professor of Cardiology, and Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, Director of the Cardiovascular Institute, Associate Dean for Cardiovascular Research, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
John B
JB
Kostis
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006073:Gout / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION; GOUT