The relationship between premature ejaculation and depressive symptoms in HIV-infected men: a multicenter...

Area of Science:

• Sexual health
• Infectious diseases
• Mental health

Background:

• Depressive symptoms are prevalent in people living with HIV (PLWH) and can negatively impact sexual function.
• The link between HIV infection and premature ejaculation (PE) requires further clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess depressive symptoms in HIV-infected men.
• To investigate the association between depressive symptoms and PE in this population.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter case-control study involving 112 HIV-infected men and 110 healthy controls.
• Participants completed validated Turkish versions of the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).
• PE was defined as a PEDT score ≥ 11.

Main Results:

• HIV-infected men reported significantly higher PEDT and BDI scores than controls (p < 0.001).
• PE prevalence was higher in HIV-infected men (43.8%) compared to controls (20.9%) (p < 0.001).
• Among PLWH, higher BDI scores correlated with PE (p = 0.009), and this association remained significant in multivariable analysis.

Conclusions:

• HIV-infected men exhibit increased rates of PE and more severe depressive symptoms.
• Depressive symptom severity is an independent predictor of PE in HIV-infected men, irrespective of erectile function, age, or disease duration.