Premature ejaculation is associated with glycemic control in Type 1 diabetes

• Published in: Journal of sexual medicine Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 93
• Main Authors: Bellastella, Giuseppe, Maiorino, Maria Ida, Olita, Laura, Della Volpe, Elisabetta, Giugliano, Dario, Esposito, Katherine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 01.01.2015
• Subjects: Adult; Body Mass Index; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - metabolism; Glycated Hemoglobin A - metabolism; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Male; Premature Ejaculation - etiology; Premature Ejaculation - metabolism; Prevalence; Type 1 Diabetes; Hypoglycemia; Premature Ejaculation; Glucose Variability
• ISSN: 1743-6109
• DOI: 10.1111/jsm.12755

Premature ejaculation (PE) is the most common male sexual dysfunction. Its prevalence in Type 1 diabetes is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of PE in Type 1 diabetes and the influence of glycemic control on ejaculatory function. One hundred Type 1 diabetic male patients (age < 40 years) and 51 age-matched nondiabetic control subjects were evaluated for PE. A subgroup of 30 diabetic patients (20 with PE and 10 without) were also evaluated for blood glucose variability. The presence of PE was assessed with the premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT) and the self-estimated intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT). Glucose variability was evaluated by continuous glucose monitoring for a 7-day period with a DexCom G4 CGM system: the mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGEs), low (LBGI) and high (HBGI) blood glucose indices, and the standard deviation of blood glucose (BGSD) were calculated. PE prevalence did not differ significantly between the two groups: pathological values of the PEDT score (>8) and IELT score (<1 minute) were recorded in 24 out of 100 diabetic patients (24%) and in 12 out of 51 controls (23.5%). There were significant associations between hemoglobin A1c and the PEDT score (r = 0.27; P = 0.006) and IELT (r = -0.3; P = 0.01). In the subgroup assessed for glucose variability, the PEDT score was associated with LBGI (r = 0.43; P = 0.01), but not with BGSD (r = 0.1, P = 0.6), MAGE (r = -0.1; P = 0.4), or HBGI (r = 0.1; P = 0.6). Our results show a similar prevalence of PE in young male patients with Type 1 diabetes and in the age-matched control population; in diabetic patients with PE, a higher glycemic variability in the hypoglycemic domain is significantly associated with the PEDT score.