Are age, anthropometry and components of metabolic syndrome-risk factors interrelated with lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with erectile dysfunction? A prospective study

Jae-Seung Paick1, Ji Hyun Yang1, Soo Woong Kim1, Ja Hyeon Ku2

¹Department of Urology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
²Department of Urology, Seoul Veterans Hospital, Seoul 134791, Korea

DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-7262.2006.00211.x

Abstract
Aim: To evaluate the effects of metabolic profiles on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men with erectile dysfunction. Methods: A total of 75 impotent men 25–75 years old (mean age 58.1 years) were included in the study on a prospective basis. Patients were evaluated with a complete history, physical examination, anthropometry, and metabolic profiles. LUTS were assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS). Results: Overall, there was no correlation between scores of the I-PSS and continuous parameters. However, when continuous variables were categorized, some parameters were significantly associated with LUTS. Patients with triglyceride levels of 150 mg/Dl or greater had more severe symptoms than those with tiglyceride levels less than 150 mg/dL (19.4 ± 2.4 vs. 14.3 ± 1.1, P = 0.033). When 40 mg/dL was chosen as the high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol cut-off level, the scores of the I-PSS were significantly different between the two groups (19.4 ± 2.6 for HDL-cholesterol < 40 mg/dL vs. 14.4 ± 1.0 for HDL-cholesterol ≥ 40 mg/dL, P = 0.042). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of triglyceride was 65.7 % (95 % confidence interval, 52.6–82.3 %; P = 0.034) for severe LUTS. However, area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for ‘HDL-cholesterol’ was not significant (area, 0.654; 95 % confidence interval, 0.482 to 0.827; P = 0.062). No other factors were determined to be significant in this regard. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that some metabolic profiles might influence LUTS in men with ED.

Keywords: lower urinary tract symptoms; erectile dysfunction; metabolic syndrome; body mass index; testosterone

Correspondence to: Dr Ja Hyeon Ku, Department of Urology, Seoul Veterans Hospital, 6-2, Doonchon Dong, Kangdong Ku, Seoul 134791, Korea.
Tel: +82-2-2225-1392, Fax: +82-2-483-4260
E-mail: randyku@hanmail.net
Received 2006-02-06 Accepted 2006-06-14