Effects of Ankylosing Spondylitis on Erectile Function

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Urology
• Psychology

Background:

• Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the spine.
• Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common condition that can impact quality of life.
• A potential association between AS and ED warrants investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of ED in AS patients compared to a control group.
• To identify risk factors associated with ED in individuals with AS.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 50 AS patients and 50 healthy males.
• Participants completed validated questionnaires including IIEF-5, BDI, BAI, BASDAI, BASFI, BASMI, and ASQoL.
• Erectile function and predictive factors were compared between groups.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference in overall ED prevalence between AS patients (38%) and controls (30%).
• AS patients exhibited significantly lower mean IIEF-EF domain scores and higher BDI/BAI scores.
• Higher BASDAI, BASFI, depression, and anxiety scores correlated with lower IIEF scores in AS patients.

Conclusions:

• Erectile function scores were marginally lower in the AS cohort.
• Disease activity (BASDAI, BASFI) and psychological status (depression, anxiety) are significant risk factors for ED in AS.