Is the Metabolic Syndrome an Independent Risk Factor for Erectile Dysfunction?

Heidler, Stefan
Temml, Christian
Broessner, Clemens
Mock, Karl
Rauchenwald, Michael
Madersbacher, Stephan
Ponholzer, Anton

Department of Urology and Andrology, Donauspital and Department of Preventive Health, City of Vienna (CT), Vienna, Austria

^*Correspondence: Department of Urology and Andrology, Donauspital, SMZ-Ost, Langobardenstrasse 122, 1220 Vienna, Austria (telephone: 0043 1 28802 3700; FAX: 0043 1 28802 3780; e-mail: [email protected]).

Study received institutional review board approval.

Submitted for publication March 16, 2006.

Journal of Urology 177(2):p 651-654, February 2007.

Purpose

We determined the role of the metabolic syndrome as an independent risk factor for erectile dysfunction.

Materials and Methods

Men participating in a health screening project completed the International Index of Erectile Function-5. The metabolic syndrome was defined according to the 2005 International Diabetes Federation consensus definition. Multiple linear regression, ANOVA and chi-square tests were used to investigate the impact of the metabolic syndrome on erectile dysfunction.

Results

A total of 2,371 men with a mean age of 46.1 years (SD 9.9, range 30 to 69) were analyzed. Of the men 33.4% (652) had no erectile dysfunction (International Index of Erectile Function-5 score 22 to 25), 59.7% (1,166) had mild erectile dysfunction (International Index of Erectile Function-5 score 17 to 21) and 6.9% (134) had moderate to severe erectile dysfunction (International Index of Erectile Function-5 score 5 to 16). The metabolic syndrome was present in 33.8% (794). In a multiple linear regression analysis an increased waist-to-hip ratio (p = 0.01) and metabolic syndrome (p = 0.01) turned out to be independently associated with a decreased International Index of Erectile Function-5 score. When stratified according to age, the metabolic syndrome was correlated to erectile dysfunction only in men 50 years old or older with an increase of severe erectile dysfunction by 48% (p = 0.01).

Conclusions

The metabolic syndrome and an increased waist-to-hip ratio are independently associated with a decreased International Index of Erectile Function-5 score. The metabolic syndrome in men older than 50 years is significantly associated with a higher proportion of moderate to severe erectile dysfunction.