Analysis of cardiovascular risks for erectile dysfunction in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus lacking clinical symptoms of cardiovascular diseases

BACKGROUND: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is common but usually underdiagnosed in diabetics. The correlation between different vascular lesions and ED in diabetics without clinical cardiovascular symptoms is unknown. The aim was to explore the association between cardiovascular risks and ED in Chinese type 2 diabetic men lacking clinical performance. METHODS: Erectile function of patients with type 2 diabetes was assessed by the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire. The data of clinical characteristics and vascular lesions at carotid and lower limb sites assessed by the Doppler ultrasound were collected to evaluate diabetes- metabolic indices. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to find statistical correlation between cardiovascular risks and diabetic ED. RESULTS: A total of 71.21% reported suffering from ED. Lower limb plaques were more common (45.38%) than carotid district (35.62%) in diabetes. Men with ED had higher carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) (P<0.001) and the presence of lower limb plaques (P<0.001) compared with men without ED. After adjusting for age, diabetic duration, blood pressure (BP) and antidiabetic medication, carotid IMT greater than 0.75 mm (P<0.001) and the presence of lower limb plaques (P=0.051) remained associated with the presence of ED and its severity. Compared with isolated atherosclerosis at carotid or lower limb district, vascular lesions at any site and both sites were more correlative with ED presence (all P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of ED is high among Chinese diabetic men. A higher carotid IMT and the presence of lower limb plaques indicate a tight correlation between peripheral atherosclerosis and diabetic ED. ED may be the only clinical association of symptomatic cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in diabetes. It is significant to screen ED to prevent the further development of severe symptomatic CVDs.