Association between erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular risk in individuals with type-2 diabetes without overt cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND Erectile dysfunction in type-2 diabetes may be an independent marker for coronary artery disease. Present study was undertaken to investigate whether type-2 diabetic patients with erectile dysfunction without having overt cardiovascular disease had increased cardiovascular risk. AIM To find out correlation between ED and cardiovascular risk in diabetic patients. METHODS Fifty type-2 diabetic patients were assessed for erectile dysfunction using international index of erectile dysfunction (IIEF-5), which include questionnaire and cardiovascular risk assessment by multiparameter cardiovascular analysis device (periscope). RESULTS The prevalence of erectile dysfunction in type-2 diabetics was very high (78%), mild, moderate and severe ED was present in 6, 36 and 36%, respectively. The total cardiovascular risk was more in patients with ED in comparison to patients without ED (34.87 +/- 18.82 vs 20.91 +/- 11.03 p = 0.002). The mean 10-years coronary risk and cardiac risk was 12.00 + 9.60 and 22.23 + 14.14 (p = 0.029) and 13.36 +/- 1.22 and 28.85 +/- 4.13 (p 0.002) in patients without ED and with ED respectively. The mean vascular and atherosclerosis risk was 28.73 +/- 13.94 and 39.38 +/- 19.51 (p > 0.05) and 26.18 +/- 10.31 and 33.92 +/- 13.40 (p > 0.05) in patients without ED and with ED, respectively. Total cardiovascular risk was found to increase with age, duration of diabetes and HbA1c levels. CONCLUSION The total cardiovascular risk increases with increasing severity of erectile dysfunction in type-2 diabetic patients without having overt cardiovascular disease.