Frequency and determinants of erectile dysfunction in Italy

Objective: To analyze the prevalence and risk factors for erectile dysfunct ion (ED) in Italy in a cross-sectional study. Methods: Eligible for the study were men aged 18 years or more, randomly id entified by 143 general practitioners among their registered patients durin g the period January 1996 to February 1997. ED was defined as the impossibi lity to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. Results: Of the 2,010 men interviewed, 257 (12.8%) reported ED. The prevale nce increased with age, from 2% in men aged 18-39 to 48% in those >70 years (tested for trend, p = 0.0001). A history of cardiopathy, diabetes, hypert ension, neuropathy, thrombotic/hemorrhagic stroke, peripheral vascular diso rders, pelvic/medullary injury and pelvic surgery/radiation all increased t he risk of ED. The association of hypertension and diabetes tends to increa se the risk of ED. in comparison with nondiabetic and nonhypertensive men, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.4 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.7-3.2) for hyp ertensive men without diabetes, 4.6 (95% CI, 1.6-13.7) for diabetic men wit hout hypertension and 8.1 (95% CI, 1.2-55.0) for men with diabetes and hype rtension. In comparison with never smokers, the OR of ED was 1.7 (95% CI, 1 .2-2.4) for current smokers and 1.6 (95% CI, 1.1-2.3) for ex-smokers and in creased with duration of the habit. Conclusions: The study offers a quantitative estimate of the prevalence of ED and of its main risk factors in Italian men. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karge r AG, Basel.