Association Between Erectile Dysfunction and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in a North Indian Tertiary Care Hospital

Introduction This study aimed to investigate the relationship between erectile dysfunction (ED) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in a North Indian population, as well as to assess the influence of age, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and testosterone levels on this association. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India, involving 183 men aged ≥50 years presenting with LUTS or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The severity of ED was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function-15 (IIEF-15), while LUTS severity was measured using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Serum PSA and testosterone levels were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26.0 (Released 2018; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, United States), with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results The patients' mean ± SD age was 63.13 ± 8.98 years. The severity of LUTS was classified as mild in 67 patients (36.6%), moderate in 62 (33.8%), and severe in 54 (29.5%). ED was categorized as mild in 92 patients (50.3%), moderate in 73 (39.9%), and severe in 18 (9.8%). A significant correlation was found between ED severity and increasing age (p < 0.001), as well as with higher IPSS (p < 0.05). Additionally, ED was significantly associated with comorbidities, including hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, IIEF-15 scores showed a significant correlation with testosterone levels (r = 0.679, p < 0.001). No significant correlation was found between ED severity and serum PSA levels. Conclusions This study found a significant association between ED and the severity of LUTS in men with BPH. The data revealed that patients over 79 years of age tended to have lower testosterone levels, and the presence of comorbidities such as HTN and DM emerged as major risk factors for ED. These findings highlight the significance of adopting a comprehensive, multifactorial approach to assess and manage ED in patients with LUTS.