ABSTRACTS
MEN WITH ED ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE DEPRESSED
Low WY, Khoo EM, Tan HM, Hew FL, Teoh SH. Depression, hormonal status and erectile dysfunction in the aging male: results from a community study in Malaysia. Journal of Men’s Health and Gender. 2006; 3(3):263-70 [Link]
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This paper examined the association between depression, erectile dysfunction and hormonal status among aging men and factors predictive of their erectile function, based on a community-based survey involving 351 men living in the Klang Valley, Selangor. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) was used to assess the presence of erectile dysfunction and its severity while the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was used as a screening instrument for depression.
14.5% of men were found to have mild/moderate depression while 11% had severe depression. Men with ED have significantly higher GDS scores, higher levels of SHBG* and higher proportion of abnormal hormone levels (PSA*, SHBG, LH*, total testosterone, free testosterone, bio-available testosterone, prolactin and IGF-1*), compared to men without ED. ED was associated with depressive symptoms and aging, however, no association between total testosterone and depression. Age and depression explained 18.2% of the variance in erectile function. Total testosterone, LH, free testosterone and SHBG did not predict erectile function scores. In the management of ED or depression, cardiovascular disease should also be screened for. These conditions are often missed if either condition is dealt with in isolation.
*SHBG, sex hormone binding globulin; PSA, prostate specific antigen; LH, luteinizing hormone; IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor.
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