Effect of Depression and Antidepressants on Sexual Dysfunction in Men with Diabetes: A National Population-Based Cohort Study

PURPOSE: This study explored and compared the effects of depression and antidepressants on sexual dysfunction in men with diabetes mellitus (DM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients older than 18 years who had been newly diagnosed with DM (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] code 250) between 1999 and 2010 were identified from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database and were followed up until 2013. Patients with preexisting depression or sexual dysfunction were excluded. A total of 636,210 patients with DM were enrolled. These patients were divided into two groups: DM with comorbid depression and a matched cohort without depression. The groups were followed up until the end of 2010 for the first diagnosis of sexual dysfunction (ICD-9-CM codes 302.70, 302.71, 302.72, 302.74, 302.75, 302.76, 302.79, 607.84, and V417). A Cox proportional hazard model and a Cox regression model with time-dependent covariates were applied. RESULTS: Patients with DM and depression had a higher risk of sexual dysfunction than those with DM without depression (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33–1.55). The risk of sexual dysfunction was lower in the subgroup who used antidepressants (per 28 cumulative defined daily doses [cDDDs]), HR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94–0.97). A significantly lower incidence of sexual dysfunction was also associated with the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, per 28 cDDD). The adjusted HR was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.93–0.97). Subgroup analysis indicated that SSRI use was significantly associated with an amelioration of erectile dysfunction (per 28 cDDD), with an HR of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.92–0.97). CONCLUSION: Male patients with DM and depression are at increased risk of sexual dysfunction. Antidepressant use had a small inverse association with the risk of sexual dysfunction in men with DM and depression. Antidepressants, in particular SSRIs, did not increase the risk of sexual dysfunction in this population.