DIABETES, SLEEP DISORDERS, AND MALE SEXUAL FUNCTION

The prevalence and role of sleep disorders in the sexual problems of d iabetic patients remain unexplored. This study was conducted on 40 dia betic men carefully screened to exclude the confounding effects of oth er medical illnesses or drugs likely to impair sexual function and 40 age-matched healthy volunteers. They underwent an extensive psychosexu al interview, medical and psychiatric evaluations, and three recorded nights in a sleep laboratory. Electroencephalogram, eye movements, mus cle tone, and nocturnal penile tumescence were monitored continuously. Respiratory airflow and bilateral anterior tibialis recordings were o btained during the first sleep session. Diabetic men had significantly higher prevalences of respiratory and periodic leg movement disturban ces during sleep. There was clinical, although not nocturnal penile tu mescence, evidence suggesting that respiratory abnormalities during sl eep are associated with erectile difficulties in diabetic men. Future studies should include blood oxygenation and respiratory effort measur es to clarify the significance of sleep-related airflow disturbances i n diabetic patients.