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.