Purpose: We investigated the relationship between oxidative stress and diabetic erectile dysfunction.
Materials and methods: A total of 23 patients with a mean +/- SD age of 56.7 +/- 5.6 years, a history of type 2 diabetes for 10.0 +/- 8.3 years and erectile dysfunction, as tested by the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire, but without vascular and neurological complications, and 15 age matched patients with diabetes without erectile dysfunction were recruited. Circulating monocyte oxidative activity by cytofluorometry, and endothelin-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay were evaluated in all patients in the study.
Results: Monocyte free radical production, and total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were higher in patients with than in those without erectile dysfunction (p <0.03, <0.02 and <0.05, respectively). In all patients the International Index of Erectile Function score inversely correlated with low density lipoprotein (p <0.05), while in patients with erectile dysfunction it negatively correlated with age (p <0.03), body mass index (p <0.02), endothelin-1 (p <0.02) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (p <0.05). Endothelin-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 were not different in patients with diabetes with and without erectile dysfunction.
Conclusions: In men with type 2 diabetes who have erectile dysfunction but are asymptomatic for cardiovascular disease oxidative activation of monocytes is increased and it is related to other risk factors of endothelial dysfunction.