Prevalence and correlates of erectile dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional single-center study among Turkish patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in relation to vascular and neurogenic correlates. METHODS: A total of 116 males including T2DM patients [n=68; mean age, 56.7 (5.8) years] and age-matched healthy controls [n=48; mean age, 57.0 (6.6) years] were included in this cross-sectional single-center study. Data on anthropometrics, blood biochemistry, concomitant hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and coronary artery disease (CAD) were recorded in each subject along with measurement of carotid artery intima media thickness (CIMT) and evaluation of erectile dysfunction (ED) via International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) Questionnaire. A univariate analysis was performed to determine the relationship of cardiovascular risk factors and diabetes-related complications to ED. RESULTS: Patient and control groups were similar in terms of percentage patients with hyperlipidemia (51.5% and 39.6%, respectively) and CAD (33.8% and 22.9%, respectively), whereas concomitant hypertension was more common (P=0.05) and CIMT values were significantly higher (P=0.020) in patients with T2DM compared with controls. Polyneuropathy was noted in 46.2% of patients, nephropathy in 30.8%, and retinopathy in 33.8%. ED scores were significantly lower in patients than controls [14.3 (7.3) vs. 18.2 (6.3), P=0.004] with a significantly higher percentage of patients than controls in the category of severe dysfunction (29.4 vs. 10.4%, P=0.014). Univariate analysis revealed that diabetic polyneuropathy was the only factor to be associated with higher likelihood (93.3% in the presence and 60.0% in the absence of neuropathy) and severity (43.3% in the presence and 14.3% in the absence of neuropathy) of ED (P=0.004). CONCLUSION: Findings from the present cross-sectional single-center study revealed the prevalence of ED to be considerably higher in patients with T2DM than age-matched healthy controls, with identification of diabetic polyneuropathy as the only risk factor associated with higher likelihood and more severe forms of ED.

Impaired glucose metabolism is a risk factor for increased thyroid volume and nodule prevalence in a mild-to-moderate iodine deficient area.

OBJECTIVE: Insulin resistance (IR) is a key factor involved in the pathogenesis of impaired glucose metabolism. IR is associated with increased thyroid volume and nodule prevalence in patients with metabolic syndrome. Data on the association of thyroid morphology and abnormal glucose metabolism are limited. This prospective study was carried out to evaluate thyroid volume and nodule prevalence in patients with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in a mild-to-moderate iodine deficient area. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were gathered on all newly diagnosed patients with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus between May 2008 and February 2010. 156 patients with pre-diabetes and 123 patients with type 2 DM were randomly matched for age, gender, and smoking habits with 114 subjects with normal glucose metabolism. Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid ultrasonography was performed in all participants. RESULTS: Mean TSH level in the diabetes group (1.9±0.9 mIU/L) was higher than in the control group (1.4±0.8 mIU/L) and the pre-diabetes group (1.5±0.8 mIU/L) (P<0.0001 for both). Mean thyroid volume was higher in the pre-diabetes (18.2±9.2mL) and diabetes (20.0±8.2mL) groups than in controls (11.4±3.8mL) (P<0.0001 for both). Percentage of patients with thyroid nodules was also higher in the pre-diabetes (51.3%) and diabetes groups (61.8%) than in controls (23.7%) (P<0.0001 for both). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that patients with impaired glucose metabolism have significantly increased thyroid volume and nodule prevalence.