Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Treatment Model for Young Patients with Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction and Resultant Infertility
Published on: May 30, 2025
Sexual dysfunction and symptom impact in men with long-standing type 1 diabetes in the DCCT/EDIC cohort
David F Penson1, Hunter Wessells, Patricia Cleary
1Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, USC/Norris Cancer Center, 1441 Eastlake Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA. penson@usc.edu
Introduction:
Male sexual dysfunction is a common complication of diabetes (DM), but the relative impact of erectile dysfunction (ED), orgasmic dysfunction (OD), and/or decreased libido (DL) on global sexual bother has not been assessed.
Aim:
To assess the relationship between ED, OD, and DL and overall sexual satisfaction in men with type 1 DM, and determine which form of dysfunction causes the most bother.
Methods:
The study cohort consisted of 713 men with type 1 DM who completed the Diabetes Control and Complication Trial and then participated in the follow-up Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications Study. In year 10 of EDIC, 583 (83%) completed a validated instrument assessing ED, OD, and DL and the bother these conditions cause. Statistical tests determined the concordance of function and bother in each domain, and the impact of each domain on overall sexual satisfaction.
Main Outcome Measures:
Patient-reported outcomes using responses to individual items of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF).
Results:
ED was present in 34%, OD in 20%, and DL in 55%. When correlated with overall sexual satisfaction, ED had the highest weighted kappa (0.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.80-0.87), while OD (0.57, 95% CI = 0.51-0.63) and DL (0.55, 95%CI = 0.48-0.62) were considerably lower. Furthermore, the single item assessing confidence in getting and keeping an erection had the strongest correlation with overall sexual bother as well as specific erectile bother.
Conclusions:
ED, OD, and DL are highly prevalent in men with long-standing type I diabetes. All three sexual dysfunctions cause bother in men with DM, but ED causes more general sexual bother and likely has a greater overall impact on quality of life. Our data underscore the importance of asking men with DM about their sexual function and point to the need for further research to investigate disorders of orgasm and desire.
Related Concept Videos
Disorders of the Male Reproductive System
Prostate disorders are another major concern. These conditions can impair urinary flow due to the prostate's location around the urethra. Symptoms...
Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations
Type II Diabetes Mellitus III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis
Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications
Type II Diabetes II: Pathophysiology