Association between erectile dysfunction and echocardiographic variables of ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic...

This study was conducted among individuals with diabetes and hypertension in order to assess the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and the association between ED and cardiovascular risk variables such as echocardiographic changes.

We evaluated 114 men with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension. ED was assessed by International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) score. Clinical and laboratory variables were evaluated, including C-reactive protein (CRP), ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), ankle brachial index (ABI) and transthoracic echocardiography. Comparisons between patients with ED (IIEF-5 < 22) and without ED (IIEF-5 ≥ 22) were performed.

Patients were 56.8 ± 5.7 years-old, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 150.7 ± 19.5 mmHg and 85.4 ± 11.4 mmHg, respectively, and HbA1c was 8.0 ± 1.7%. The majority (74.6%) of patients had ED. Levels of CRP, ABPM values and ABI were similar between men with and without ED. Echocardiography variables related to cardiac chamber diameters, left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic function were similar between groups, except there was a slight lower left ventricular ejection fraction in men with ED (64.9 ± 7.3 vs 68.1 ± 3.9%, P = 0.004).

In high cardiovascular risk hypertensive individuals with type 2 diabetes, ED is highly prevalent as expected, but its presence is associated with neither echocardiographic variables, nor other cardiovascular risk factors.