Correlates of Erectile Dysfunction in Nigerian Men with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Experience from a Tertiary Health Center

Introduction: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) that is associated with poor quality of life and can be present in type 2 diabetics at the time of diagnosis. There are common risk factors associated with erectile dysfunction in type 2 diabetic subjects. Some of these are potentially treatable or reversible. The risk factors evaluated by this study included glycaemic control, duration of diabetes, obesity, peripheral artery disease (PAD), hypertension and antihypertensive medications use. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross sectional one carried out over a period of six months (June-November, 2016) at the diabetes clinic of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi and involved 124 subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A convenience sampling method was used. A detailed physical examination, blood pressure and anthropometric measurements and vascular assessment with a hand-held doppler ultrasound were carried out. Data was collected using a study proforma. Erectile dysfunction was diagnosed with the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire while anxiety and depression were diagnosed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression questionnaires. Subjects that had anxiety/depression or hypogonadism were excluded from the study. Results: A total of 124 subjects were studied, 48.4% of whom had erectile dysfunction. Glycaemic control was significantly associated with ED among the subjects (OR = 0.198, 95% CI = 0.081 - 0.483, P < 0.001). Similarly, peripheral artery disease (PAD) was significantly associated with ED in the subjects (OR = 2.867, 95% CI = 1.360 - 6.044, P = 0.006). However, no significant correlation was found between ED and obesity, duration of diabetes mellitus, antihypertensive medications use and duration of hypertension among the subjects (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Poor glycaemic control and presence of PAD significantly increase the risk of ED in male subjects with type 2 DM, thus underscoring the need for an early screening and treatment of these predictors of erectile dysfunction.