title: Lichen Simplex Chronicus Associated With Erectile Dysfunction: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An association between lichen simplex chronicus (LSC) and sexual dysfunction was explored. However, no data are available from investigations into the relationship between erectile dysfunction (ED) and LSC.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective population-based cohort study aimed to clarify the risk of ED associated with LSC.
  
  
  METHODS
  By using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research dataset, we identified 5611 male patients who had been newly diagnosed with LSC from 2000 to 2004. The date of diagnosis was identified as the index date. LSC patients with incomplete demographic information or with a history of ED before the index date were excluded. In total, 22444 age-matched patients without LSC were randomly selected as the non-LSC group based on a 1:4 ratio. Subsequence occurrence of ED was measured until 2011. The association between LSC and the risk of developing ED was estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for age and comorbidities, patients with LSC had a 1.74-fold greater risk of developing ED compared with those without LSC (95% confidence interval=1.44-2.10). LSC patients with comorbidities including diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, depression, and anxiety were at a higher risk of ED compared with the non-LSC patients without comorbidities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LSC confers a greater risk in the development of ED. Physicians should be aware of the potential of ED occurrence in LSC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chao-Kuei
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Juan
authors.affiliation: Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsuan-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jui-Lung
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009450:Neurodermatitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011159:Population Surveillance; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult