Incidence of Vascular Risk Factors in Patients with Erectile Dysfunction Aged Over 40 Years: Comparison with Normal Men of Corresponding Age

Seo, Kyung Keun; Lee, Sung Woon; Kim, Sae Chul

Abstract

PURPOSE: The incidences of four main vascular risk factors (VRFs) - diabetes mellitus (DM), smoking, hyperlipidemia (HLP), and obesity were investigated in men aged over 40 years with or without erectile dysfunction.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
There were 943 patients with erectile dysfunction (mean age 55.0 years; range 40-73 years) and 242 normal men (mean age 50.6; range 40-71 years). Blood levels of various lipid fractions (triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein), body weight, and height were measured in all subjects. Abnormal VRFs were defined as follows: hypertension = >160 mmHg (systolic pressure) or 95 mmHg (diastoic pressure), hyperlipidemia = at least one abnormal fraction (triglycerides > 160 mg/dl, total cholesterol >250 mg/dl, LDL >150 mg/dl), and obesity = >120% of ideal body weight. The presence or absence of DM, hypertension, smoking, and erectile dysfunction was determined by a self-reported subject questionnaire and history.
RESULTS
The incidence of abnormal LDL was significantly (p<0.05) higher in patients than the control men. The incidences of HLP, DM, and hypertension were significantly (all p<0.05) higher in the patients 40 to 59 years of age than in the control men of corresponding ages, but differences in the incidences of smoking and obesity were not statistically significant. Abnormal VRFs were significantly (all p<0.01) more common in patients aged 40 to 59 years than in the control men of the same ages. In men over 60 years of age, there were no differences between the patients and control subjects in number of VRFs or the incidences of HLP, DM, and hypertension.
CONCLUSIONS
Especially in men 40 to 59 years of age, DM, HLP, and hypertension were significantly correlated with erectile dysfunction. The aging process, rather than such specific risk factors, might be a main cause of erectile dysfunction in men aged over 60 years.