Prevalence of erectile dysfunction in male stroke patients, and associated co-morbidities and risk factors

Abstract

Background: Sexual problems have been a common finding in chronically ill and physically disabled patients such as those with cerebrovascular accidents. Previous studies have supported the association between stroke and erectile dysfunction (ED).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of ED and its severity in male stroke patients in Qatar and to assess the co-morbidities and risk factors associated with ED.

Design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Setting: The study was conducted from January to December 2006 at the Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).

Subjects: Eight hundred Qatari and non-Qatari patients 35-75 years of age were invited to participate in this study; 605 patients gave their consent, which was a response rate of 75.6%.

Methods: Face-to-face interviews were based on a questionnaire that included socio-demographic factors. The classification of the type of stroke was made according to the criteria of stroke by the World Health Organization (WHO). All patients completed a second questionnaire addressing their general medical history, type of treatment and co-morbidity with other diseases or risk factors. Sexual function was evaluated with the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF).

Results: The mean age of subjects was 56.1+/-9.8 years. Approximately 48.3% of the studied population reported some degree of erectile dysfunction. Of the stroke patients with ED, 36% had severe ED, 32.9% had moderate ED and 31.2% had mild ED. More than half of the stroke patients (59.6%) with ED were in the age group 60-75 years. The prevalence of ED increased with increasing age. The co-morbidities and risk factors were significantly more prominent in ED patients than in those without ED for hypercholesterolemia (P<0.001), diabetes (P=0.002), and hypertension (P=0.031). Medication taken for these diseases also had a significant association with ED.

Conclusions: Our study findings revealed a greater prevalence of ED in stroke patients in the population of Qatar. The most important co-morbid factors for ED in stroke patients were diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, and the risk factors were smoking and obesity.