VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA.
J Sex Med. 2012 Jul;9(7):1852-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02755.x. Epub 2012 May 8.
Oral erectile dysfunction medications (EDMs) have become an increasingly popular drug of abuse among young men without a medical indication. In addition to being associated with increased sexual risk behaviors, recreational EDM use may adversely impact psychological aspects of sexual function, primarily by affecting one's confidence in pharmacologically unaided erectile ability. To date, these associations have not been investigated empirically.
This study examined the mediating role of confidence in erectile ability on the concurrent relationship between recreational EDM use and erectile function among young healthy men. A secondary aim was to examine erectile function characteristics among recreational users, prescribed users, and nonusers to control for the possibility that recreational users were using EDMs to treat ED.
The sample comprised 1,207 sexually active men (mean age = 21.9 years; standard deviation = 4.48) who were recruited from undergraduate institutions within the United States.
Participants completed an online survey assessing frequency of EDM use, as well as levels of sexual function (erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction, and overall sexual satisfaction) and levels of confidence in ability to gain and maintain erection, as per the International Index of Erectile Function.
Recreational users (N = 72) reported similar erectile function levels compared with nonusers (N = 1,111), and both groups differed from prescribed users (N = 24). Recreational users also reported lower erectile confidence and lower overall satisfaction compared with nonusers. Results were consistent with mediation, in that more frequent EDM use was inversely associated with erectile confidence, which in turn showed negative relations with erectile function.
Confidence in erectile abilities mediates the inverse relationship between recreational EDM use and erectile function. Results underscore the possibility that recreational EDM use among healthy young men may lead to psychogenic ED. Additional longitudinal research is necessary to establish a causal link between these variables.
口腔勃起功能障碍药物（EDM）已成为无医学指征的年轻男性中日益流行的滥用药物。除了与增加性行为风险行为相关外，娱乐性 EDM 使用还可能对性功能的心理方面产生不利影响，主要是通过影响人们对药物辅助勃起能力的信心。迄今为止，这些关联尚未通过实证研究进行调查。
本研究调查了在年轻健康男性中，娱乐性 EDM 使用与勃起功能之间的并发关系中，信心在勃起能力方面的中介作用。次要目的是检查娱乐性使用者、处方使用者和非使用者的勃起功能特征，以控制娱乐性使用者可能正在使用 EDM 治疗 ED 的可能性。
该样本包括 1207 名活跃的男性（平均年龄为 21.9 岁；标准差为 4.48），他们是从美国的本科院校中招募而来的。
参与者完成了一项在线调查，评估 EDM 使用的频率，以及性功能（勃起功能、性高潮功能、性欲、性交满意度和整体性满意度）以及获得和维持勃起能力的信心水平，根据国际勃起功能指数进行评估。
娱乐性使用者（N=72）报告的勃起功能水平与非使用者（N=1111）相似，两组与处方使用者（N=24）均不同。娱乐性使用者还报告说，勃起信心和整体满意度较低。结果与中介作用一致，即更频繁地使用 EDM 与勃起信心呈负相关，而勃起信心又与勃起功能呈负相关。
勃起能力的信心在娱乐性 EDM 使用与勃起功能之间的负相关关系中起中介作用。结果强调了健康年轻男性中娱乐性 EDM 使用可能导致心理性 ED 的可能性。需要进行额外的纵向研究来确定这些变量之间的因果关系。
