Poor sleep quality may increase odds of erectile dysfunction

Sleep parameters are robust predictors of erectile dysfunction (ED), suggesting that poor sleep quality contributes to a greater likelihood of ED, reveals a study.

A total of 107 patients diagnosed with ED by the International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire and 72 healthy adult men participated in this analysis. All men completed the questionnaire, underwent a detailed physical examination, and provided blood samples. Participants were then made to wear the Fitbit Charge 2 to monitor their sleep throughout the night.

Univariate analysis revealed marked differences in the General Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (p<0.001), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9; p<0.001), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI; p<0.001) scores based on the presence or absence of ED.

In multiple logistic regression analysis, PHQ-9 (odds ratio [OR], 1.227, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.070‒1.407; p=0.003) and PSQI scores (OR, 1.220, 95 percent CI, 1.116‒1.334; p<0.001) independently predicted ED.

Analysis of objective sleep monitoring parameters revealed significant between-group differences in total sleep time (p=0.001), sleep onset latency (p=0.026), deep sleep duration (p=0.011), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep duration (p<0.001), with durations in the ED group significantly lower than those in the non-ED group.

Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis further showed that the REM sleep duration had the highest area under the curve (0.728) of all sleep parameters (p<0.001; sensitivity 72.2 percent; specificity 73.8 percent).

“Urologists and andrologists should be aware of impacted sleep quality and depression in ED patients,” the authors said.