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Association between severe headache or migraine and erectile dysfunction in American adults: a cross-sectional of data study from the NHANES

International Journal of Impotence Research (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Currently, few studies have explored the relationship between severe headache or migraine and erectile dysfunction (ED). The aim of our study was to assess the association between severe headache or migraine and ED in adult men in the US from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We used data from two separate NHANES datasets for the analysis: 2001–2002 and 2003–2004. We used multiple logistic regression, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analyses to assess the relationship between severe headache or migraine and ED. From 2001 to 2004, 3117 adult male participants (582 ED patients, 2535 non-ED patients) were identified. Categorical and continuous variables are described using counts and frequencies and means and standard errors, respectively. For continuous variables, the two groups were compared using survey-weighted linear regression, while for categorical variables, survey-weighted chi-square tests were performed. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that in the fully adjusted Model 3, severe headache or migraine was statistically significantly associated with ED (OR 1.51; 95% CI 1.14–1.99; P = 0.0036). In the fully adjusted Model 3, the results of the subgroup analysis showed that an age of 40–60 years (OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.31, P = 0.029), a body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg/m2 (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.75, P = 0.0406) or ≥30 kg/m2 (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.54, P = 0.022), hypertension (OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.22, 2.60, P = 0.0029), diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.26, 2.31, P < 0.001), CVD (OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.12, 2.10, P = 0.011) and hyperlipidemia (OR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.07, 3.13, P = 0.028) were associated with ED with severe headache or migraine. This study demonstrated a statistically significant association between severe headache or migraine and ED among adult men in the US. However, the results of the study should be interpreted with caution due to the failure to assess the effects of depression and anxiety on the outcomes.

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Fig. 1: Flow chart of the study population identification.
Fig. 2: Multivariable logistic regression analyses for severe headache or migraine and ED, stratified by age, BMI, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, weighted.
Fig. 3: Diagram of the mechanisms between severe headache or migraine and ED.

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Data are available on reasonable request from the corresponding authors.

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Funding

This work received funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 82071637).

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Xu Wu, Yuyang Zhang, Guodong Liu.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

    Xu Wu, Yuyang Zhang, Guodong Liu & Xiansheng Zhang

  2. Institute of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

    Xu Wu, Yuyang Zhang, Guodong Liu & Xiansheng Zhang

  3. Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

    Xu Wu, Yuyang Zhang, Guodong Liu & Xiansheng Zhang

  4. Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital Institute of Urology, Peking University Andrology Center, Beijing, China

    Hui Jiang

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Research design: Xiansheng Zhang, Hui Jiang; Acquisition of data: Xu Wu, Yuyang Zhang; Analysis and interpretation of data: Xu Wu, Guodong Liu, Xiansheng Zhang; Drafting the paper: Xu Wu, Yuyang Zhang; Revising it: Xu Wu, Yuyang Zhang, Xiansheng Zhang; Approval of the submitted and final versions: Xu Wu, Yuyang Zhang, Guodong Liu, Hui Jiang, Xiansheng Zhang.

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Wu, X., Zhang, Y., Liu, G. et al. Association between severe headache or migraine and erectile dysfunction in American adults: a cross-sectional of data study from the NHANES. Int J Impot Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-024-00867-w

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