Does vascular involvement affect erectile dysfunction in patients with Behçet's disease?: a single-center...

Behçet's disease (BD) can affect the urogenital system in men, leading to conditions such as epididymitis, urethritis, cystitis, and dorsal penile vein thrombosis. A high incidence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in BD patients has been previously reported; however, the role of vascular involvement in ED is unclear.

To investigate the effect of vascular involvement on ED in male patients with BD.

Ninety-seven patients diagnosed with BD (mean age, 40.4 ± 10.7 years; disease duration, 12.5 ± 9.6 years) were included in the study and divided into the vascular and non-vascular groups. The presence and severity of ED were assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5), with a score of ≤21 indicating the presence of ED. Patients with ED underwent corpus cavernosum electromyography and penile color Doppler ultrasonography to diagnose ED.

Half of all patients with BD (n = 49, 50.5%) were found to have ED. No significant difference in the presence of ED was observed between the two groups (vascular group: n = 24, 49% vs. non-vascular group: n = 25, 52.1%; p = 0.76). The proportion of patients with peak systolic velocities of less than 30 cm/s was significantly higher in the vascular group than in the non-vascular group (n = 12, 80% vs. n = 2, 22.2%; p = 0.01). No significant between-group difference was found in corpus cavernosum electromyography results (p > 0.05).

ED is common in patients with BD, and arterial ED is more prevalent among those with vascular involvement. Sexual dysfunction, which is less frequently screened for in patients with BD, should be thoroughly monitored; early intervention is recommended.