High Proportions of Erectile Dysfunction in Men With the Metabolic Syndrome
- Katherine Esposito, MD1,
- Francesco Giugliano, MD2,
- Emilia Martedì, MD1,
- Giovanni Feola, MD1,
- Raffaele Marfella, MD, PHD1,
- Massimo D’Armiento, MD2 and
- Dario Giugliano, MD, PHD1
- 1Division of Metabolic Diseases, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
- 2Division of Urology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Katherine Esposito, MD, Division of Metabolic Diseases, Second University of Naples, Piazza L. Miraglia, 80138 Naples, Italy. E-mail: katherine.esposito{at}unina2.it
Erectile dysfunction is an important cause of decreased quality of life in men (1,2). Strong epidemiological evidence links the subsequent risk of erectile dysfunction to the presence of well-recognized risk factors for coronary heart disease, such as increased body weight, hypertension, and dyslipidemia (3,4). Some have suggested that a diagnosis of erectile dysfunction is a sentinel event that should prompt investigation for coronary heart disease in asymptomatic men (5). We postulated an association between erectile dysfunction and the metabolic syndrome because four of the five components of the metabolic syndrome are risk factors for erectile dysfunction and are also characterized by abnormal endothelial function (6).
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Men were recruited among those attending the outpatient department for metabolic diseases of the teaching hospital at the second University of Naples, Naples, Italy. To be enrolled in the study, subjects had to have three or more of the criteria to meet the diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome, as recommended by the Adult Treatment Panel (7). Exclusion criteria were diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, impaired renal function, pelvic trauma, prostatic disease, peripheral or autonomic neuropathy, hypertension (blood pressure >140/90 mmHg), cardiovascular disease, psychiatric problems, use of drugs or alcohol abuse, and smoking (both present and past smoking). Endocrine causes of erectile dysfunction were also excluded. A total …
