Erectile dysfunction in diabetes mellitus.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is 2-3 times more frequent in men with diabetes mellitus than in men without such a history and might be an early marker of endothelial dysfunction. We studied a group of 310 unselected male patients within the Clinical Center of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases of Dolj County, with ages ranging between 20-78 years (57.43 + 0.835) and a positive history of diabetes mellitus for 1-47 years (10.09 +/- 8.715). Erectile dysfunction, quantified using SHIM (Sexual Health Inventory for Men), was present in 196 patients (63.2%); severe in 52 patients (16.8%), moderate in 42 patients (13.5%) and mild in 102 patients (32.9%). Erectile dysfunction showed a positive correlation with age after 65 years, history of diabetes of more than 10 years, obesity, stroke, arteriopathy, retinopathy, neuropathy and the smoking habit and was not correlated to the type of diabetes mellitus, history of diabetes less than 10 years, diabetes therapy, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, nephropathy, dyslipidemia and alcohol consumption. Our results plead for a holistic approach of the diabetic patient, irrespective of age, in order to detect and to treat all the risk factors, keeping in mind that the appearance of erectile dysfunction might indicate the presence of occult chronic diabetes complications.