Lifestyle Correlates of Erectile Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetic Subjects Attending the Diabetes Out Patient Clinic of a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a chronic complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) that is associated with a negative impact on emotional wellbeing and poor quality of life. There is dearth of current data on the lifestyle correlates of ED in subjects with type 2 diabetes both locally and globally.

Objective: To determine the association between ED, tobacco use (snuff use and cigarette smoking) and alcohol consumption in type 2 DM patients attending the diabetes outpatient clinic of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi in South-Eastern Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: This was a cross sectional hospital-based study comprising 124 male type 2 diabetic subjects. Data collection was done with a researcher designed study proforma. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and the abbreviated version of Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-C) questionnaires were used for the diagnosis of anxiety/depression, erectile dysfunction and obtaining the alcohol history respectively. History of tobacco use was obtained and cigarette smoking estimated in pack years. Subjects who had anxiety, depression or hypogonadism were excluded from the study. Statistical analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. P value of ˂ 0.05 is considered significant.

Results: A total of 124 patients were studied. The prevalence rate of ED among the subjects was 48.4%. No significant associations were found between erectile dysfunction and tobacco use (Cigarette smoking and Snuff use) (P = 0.814, OR = 0.904, 95% C.I = 0.389 – 2.101) (P = 0.762, OR = 0.867, 95% C.I = 0.344 – 2.15) and alcohol consumption (P = 0.389, OR = 0.670, 95% C.I = 0.269 – 1.667) respectively.

Conclusions: There was no significant association between ED and tobacco use and alcohol consumption in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Similarly, no significant association was found between ED, pack years of cigarette smoking and the grades of alcohol consumption in the subjects. The subjects’ diet, medications and the social/religious stigma attached to the use of these substances in our setting could have influenced our findings.