Comorbidities of Diabetes, Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease and Their Contribution to Erectile Dysfunction...

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common complication of metabolic and vascular diseases, but data from Lebanon remain scarce. Given the high prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the region, understanding their influence on ED severity is clinically important.

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at Saint George Hospital University Medical Center (SGHUMC), Lebanon. Data were retrospectively collected from 300 male patients aged ≥18 years at risk of metabolic or cardiovascular comorbidities. Erectile dysfunction severity was assessed using the erectile function (EF) domain of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). Chi-square tests, Spearman correlations, Kruskal-Wallis tests and ordinal logistic regression were applied.

The mean age was 62.1 years and the mean body mass index (BMI) 28.3. The mean IIEF-EF score was 14.8 (SD = 6.03). Moderate and severe ED were present in 36.0% and 20.3% of participants, respectively. Ordinal logistic regression identified diabetes (OR = 2.78, 95% CI 1.76-4.40, p < 0.001), hypertension (OR = 1.96, 95% CI 1.28-2.99, p = 0.002) and CVD (OR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.35-3.26, p=0.001) as significant independent predictors of ED severity. Comorbidity burden was inversely correlated with IIEF-EF score (rs = -0.319, p < 0.001). Age showed only a borderline association and BMI was not independently significant.

Diabetes, hypertension and CVD are significant independent contributors to ED severity in Lebanese men, underscoring the need for integrated comorbidity screening and a multidisciplinary management approach.