Erectile Dysfunction May Be Marker for Prediabetes, Diabetes

FRIDAY, Sept. 1, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Erectile dysfunction (ED) may be a marker for undiagnosed prediabetes/type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a study published online July 25 in Preventive Medicine.

Jane Tucker, from Saint Louis University in Missouri, and colleagues examined whether patients with ED have an increased risk for prediabetes and/or T2D and assessed the duration between ED and prediabetes/T2D diagnosis in a retrospective cohort study. The analysis included deidentified medical record data from patients aged 18 to 40 years old.

The researchers found that after controlling for confounding, ED was associated with an increased risk for prediabetes/T2D (relative risk [RR], 1.34). Similar results were seen for ED and T2D alone (RR, 1.38). ED and prediabetes/T2D were diagnosed on the same day for 30 percent of patients, while 75 percent were diagnosed with prediabetes/T2D within a year of ED.

“ED may offer the opportunity for earlier detection and diagnoses of T2D, particularly in younger men,” conclude the authors. “Younger patients presenting with ED should be screened for hyperglycemia.”

Abstract/Full Text