Premature ejaculation in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

We aimed to evaluate the premature ejaculation (PE) among ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. Fifty male patients with AS who were diagnosed according to the modified New York criteria and fifty normal healthy controls (NHC) were included in this study. The details of patient age, disease duration, morning stiffness, laboratory activity, disease severity and medication use were obtained by reviewing the medical record. The Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI) was used to measure the functional status of the patients with AS. By taking a careful medical and sexual history, patients were classified as lifelong, natural variable, acquired PE or premature ejaculatory dysfunction. In addition to medical and sexual history, self-estimated intravaginal ejaculatory latency times (IELT) of patients were used in the classification of patients. To our knowledge, this is the first study of frequency of PE in men with AS. The prevalence rates of PE in patient and healthy controls were 32 and 30%, respectively (p = 0.331). The prevalence of PE was not significantly different between AS patients and NHC groups as regards the four PE syndromes. Average estimated IELT was 10,009 ± 51.9 sec in the PE group and 145.26 ± 43.01 sec in the non-PE group (p = 0.000). Patients with lifelong PE had a significantly lower mean estimated IELT than the other group (p = 0.000). Patients with premature-like ejaculatory dysfunction had the highest estimated IELT (p = 0.000). There was a significant association between self-estimated IELT and distribution of the patients according to the four PE syndromes (p = 0.01). Both AS patients and NHC groups have the same results. The present study demonstrates that PE in men with AS is as prevalent as it is in the general population. Although this study is restricted in terms of the number of patients, it is the first study ever conducted. For more meaningful results, multi centred studies with more patients are required.