Inflammatory bowel disease is an independent risk factor for male erectile dysfunction

Background and objective: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic diseases involving the gastrointestinal system, including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Studies have shown a relationship between inflammatory bowel diseases and sexual dysfunction in men but it has been reported that this is due to surgery or the patient's psychological state. In our study, we aimed to assess the impact of IBD on the sexual functioning of male patients who has no previous pelvic surgery by evaluating the depression status of the patients.

Materials and methods: The 334 patients who were followed up in our gastroenterology outpatient clinic between January 2021 and March 2021 were included in the study and they were divided into 2 groups as with (n = 146) and without IBD (n = 188). None of the patients had a history of pelvic surgery or pelvic radiotherapy due to IBD or any other disease. The two groups were compared in terms of demographic data, comorbidities, sexual function, depression status and blood tests. International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) was used in the evaluation of sexual functions, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used in the evaluation of depression. Risk factors for erectile dysfunction (ED) were determined.

Results: The mean Beck depression test scores of the two groups were found to be similar (p = 0.361). ED was detected in 52.7% of patients with IBD and 32.4% of patients without IBD (p < 0.0001). In multivariate regression analysis, age (p = 0.008), smoking (p < 0.001), presence of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.02) and presence of IBD (p < 0.001) were determined as independent risk factors for ED. Conclusion: Inflammatory bowel diseases can cause ED regardless of the pelvic surgery performed and the psychological status that occur in these patients.

Erectile dysfunction; Depression; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Pelvic surgery

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