Severity of erectile dysfunction is highly correlated with the syntax score in patients undergoing coronariography

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between the severity of erectile dysfunction (ED) and coronary artery disease (CAD) in men undergoing coronary angiography for angina or acute myocardial infarct (AMI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied 132 males who underwent coronary angiography for first time between January and November 2010. ED severity was assessed by the international index of erectile function (IIEF-5) and CAD severity was assessed by the Syntax score. Patients with CAD (cases) and without CAD (controls) had their IIEF-5 compared. In the group with CAD, their IIEF-5 scores were compared to their Syntax score results. RESULTS: We identified 86 patients with and 46 without CAD. The IIEF-5 score of the group without CAD (22.6±0.8) was significantly higher than the group with CAD (12.5±0.5; p<0.0001). In patients without ED, the Syntax score average was 6.3±3.5, while those with moderate or severe ED had a mean Syntax score of 39.0±11.1. After adjustment, ED was independently associated to CAD, with an odds ratio of 40.6 (CI 95%, 14.3-115.3, p<0.0001). The accuracy of the logistic model to correctly identify presence or absence of CAD was 87%, with 92% sensitivity and 78% specificity. The average time that ED was present in patients with CAD was 38.8±2.3 months before coronary symptoms, about twice as high as patients without CAD (18.0±5.1 months). CONCLUSIONS: ED severity is strongly and independently correlated with CAD complexity, as assessed by the Syntax score in patients undergoing coronariography for evaluation of new onset coronary symptoms.