Background
There is inconclusive evidence regarding the role of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in the development of erectile dysfunction (ED), especially among medical students due to high academic stress.
Aim
To determine the association between IBS and ED in medical students from a Peruvian university in 2022.
Methods
An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with secondary data analysis on 133 medical students from a university in northern Peru during the 2021-II academic semester. The dependent variable was ED as measured with the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function, and the exposure variable was IBS as assessed with the Rome IV–Bristol questionnaire.
Outcomes
The results were the prevalence rates of IBS and ED and the association of these variables.
Results
Of the 133 medical students surveyed, the median age was 22 years (IQR, 19-24). The median score on the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function was 21 (IQR, 10-24). The prevalence of ED was 38.4% (95% CI, 30.05%-47.17%). Among the medical students 3% and 9% displayed moderate and severe ED, respectively, and 24.8%, 13.5%, and 24.1% showed moderate depressive, anxious, and severe symptoms. An overall 10.5% had IBS. Medical students with IBS had a 108% higher prevalence of ED than those without the syndrome (prevalence ratio, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.06-4.06). Other confounding variables were not significantly associated (P > .05).
Clinical Implications
The results underline the importance of comprehensive sexual and mental health assessment, with an emphasis on the relationship between IBS and ED in medical students.
Strengths and Limitations
Strengths include the use of validated and reliable instruments and rigorous biostatistical methods, and this is the first Peruvian investigation to explain the association between IBS and ED in medical students. Limitations include the cross-sectional design and nonprobability sampling, and there may be bias in applying the instruments.
Conclusion
This study reveals a significant association between IBS and a higher prevalence of ED in these students.