The association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and erectile dysfunction: a two-sample Mendelian...

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Endocrinology
• Genetics

Background:

• Vascular endothelial cell dysfunction is a key factor in erectile dysfunction (ED).
• 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) has shown potential benefits for vascular endothelial cells.
• Existing clinical evidence on the association between serum 25(OH)D levels and ED is inconsistent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential causal relationship between serum 25(OH)D levels and ED.
• To utilize Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis for robust causal inference.

Main Methods:

• A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed using publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data.
• Inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median methods were employed for primary analysis.
• Sensitivity analyses including Cochran's Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, leave-one-out analysis, and MR-PRESSO were conducted to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy.

Main Results:

• Genetically predicted serum 25(OH)D levels showed no statistically significant causal association with ED across all employed MR methods (IVW, MR-Egger, weighted median).
• Sensitivity analyses indicated no significant evidence of heterogeneity or directional pleiotropy, supporting the robustness of the findings.
• The odds ratios (OR) for ED associated with genetically predicted 25(OH)D levels were consistently close to 1 across methods, with wide confidence intervals.

Conclusions:

• This study found no evidence of a genetic-level causal link between serum 25(OH)D levels and the prevalence of erectile dysfunction.
• The findings do not support vitamin D supplementation as a direct causal treatment for ED based on genetic predisposition.
• Further research, including larger MR studies and clinical trials, is recommended to definitively establish or refute the relationship between 25(OH)D and ED.