Uric acid level and erectile dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a frequent complaint of elderly subjects and is closely associated with endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Uric acid is also associated with endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and CVD, raising the hypothesis that an increased serum uric acid might predict ED in patients who are at risk for coronary artery disease (CAD).

This study aims to evaluate the association of serum uric acid levels with presence and severity of ED in patients presenting with chest pain of presumed cardiac origin.

This is a cross-sectional study of 312 adult male patients with suspected CAD who underwent exercise stress test (EST) for workup of chest pain and completed a sexual health inventory for men survey form to determine the presence and severity of ED. Routine serum biochemistry (and uric acid levels) were measured. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess risk factors for ED.

The short version of the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire diagnosed ED (cutoff score ≤ 21). Serum uric acid levels were determined. Patients with chest pain of suspected cardiac origin underwent an EST.

One hundred forty-nine of 312 (47.7%) male subjects had ED by survey criteria. Patients with ED were older and had more frequent CAD, hypertension, diabetes and impaired renal function, and also had significantly higher levels of uric acid, fibrinogen, glucose, C-reactive protein, triglycerides compared with patients without ED. Uric acid levels were associated with ED by univariate analysis (odds ratio = 1.36, P = 0.002); however, this association was not observed in multivariate analysis adjusted for estimated glomerular filtration rate.

Subjects presenting with chest pain of presumed cardiac origin are more likely to have ED if they have elevated uric acid levels.