1. ¹Target Research Enhancement Program, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA
2. ²College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
3. ³Department of Family Medicine, Men's Health Center, Miriam Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
4. ⁴Department of Family Medicine, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
5. ⁵Department of Medicine, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

Correspondence: Dr W-C Wu, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 830 Chalkstone Ave., Providence, RI 02908, USA. E-mail: Wen-Chih.Wu@va.gov

Received 16 May 2008; Revised 24 June 2008; Accepted 28 June 2008; Published online 31 July 2008.

Abstract

Veterans (N=41) with type II diabetes were enrolled in a behavioral and pharmacologic intervention for cardiac risk reduction for 4 weeks at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center during 2004–2007 and were followed up 3 months post intervention. Erectile dysfunction (ED) was assessed using the 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5). Participants experienced significant improvements in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), diastolic blood pressure and total cholesterol levels over the course of the intervention. Change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and reduction in or maintenance of HbA1c below 7.0% were significantly associated with change in IIEF-5 (P=0.01, P=0.01, P=0.04, respectively). These results suggest that improved blood pressure and glycemic control in men with diabetes may lead to an improvement in ED.