Assessment of erectile function before and after treatment in male patients with newly diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Vollständiger Abstract

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Aim Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent condition with significant systemic consequences. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is common among patients with COPD; however, the impact of COPD treatment on erectile function has not been adequately investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of COPD treatment on erectile function in newly diagnosed male patients. Methods This single-center prospective study included 51 newly diagnosed male patients with COPD, in accordance with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were evaluated in chest diseases and urology outpatient clinics at baseline and at the third month of treatment. Erectile function was assessed using the 15-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15). Patients were classified into two groups based on changes in modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scores: responders (n = 17) and non-responders (n = 34). Results The mean age of the patients was 61.8 ± 5.6 years, and the overall prevalence of ED was 92.2%. Both erectile function scores and ED categories showed significant improvement at the third month of treatment compared to baseline. Furthermore, the increase in erectile function scores was significantly greater in the responder group than in the non-responder group (2.6 ± 2.1 vs 1.5 ± 1.6, P = .036). Conclusions COPD treatment in newly diagnosed patients may improve erectile function, with greater benefits in those with reduced dyspnea. These findings suggest that symptom improvement may play a key role in the recovery of sexual function.