Erectile dysfunction in patients with anxiety disorders: a systematic review

Abstract

Men with anxiety disorders have been identified as high risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED). The aim of this review is to define the prevalence and severity of ED in the male anxiety disorder population. A literature search of three electronic databases (PubMed, Embase and PsychINFO) and a grey literature registry was conducted. Inclusion criteria were studies that investigated adult males, documented diagnosis of anxiety disorders made by a qualified psychiatrist and use of a validated tool to diagnose ED such as International Index of Erectile Function or ICD-10/DSM-IV. The search yielded 1220 articles and 12 studies were selected. The anxiety disorders investigated were post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, social phobia/social anxiety disorder and panic disorder. We found that the median [IQR] prevalence of ED was 20.0 [5.1–41.2]% and the median [IQR] International Index of Erectile Function-5 scores were 17.62 [13.88–20.88], indicating a mild to moderate severity. Our review suggests a high prevalence of ED in the anxiety disorder population and ED may be more severe in this cohort, therefore advocating this is an important clinical topic. However, the evidence is limited due to the high heterogeneity between the studies and more research is required in this field.

Sexual function in male cancer survivors is not correlated to sperm quality

“…The strong psychological association between fertility and sexuality is also highlighted by an interview study by Frederick et al, in which more than half of the included male childhood cancer survivors spontaneously expressed concerns about their fertility when asked about their sexual function [15]. Other studies found a higher incidence of male sexual dysfunction in patients suffering of anxiety disorders, in particular post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [24][25][26][27]. Cancer has lately been recognized as one possible stressor inducing PTSD, with a prevalence of PTSD between 7 and 75% among cancer patients [28][29][30][31].…”

Current Perspectives on Kisspeptins Role in Behaviour

“…Similar to mood, anxiety and reproductive health are closely related, with anxiety an established trigger for sexual dysfunction ( 95 ). However, unlike the experimental evidence revealing an unambiguous and positive modulatory effect for kisspeptin-signalling in depression, its influence on anxiety-like behaviour remains to be fully clarified.…”

Investigation and Analysis of Anxiety Dissemination in Various Situations and Research on Methods of Eliminating Anxiety in Population

“…Through interviews, we know that people are affected by anxiety at home and the reasons for anxiety are often due to the quarrel of minor matters or the nagging of spouses. [ 27 ] In public situations, people often do not have anxiety in the face of the same things. According to relevant surveys, people are often relaxed when they are at home.…”