1. ¹Department of Urology, Matsushita Memorial Hospital, Moriguchi, Japan
2. ²Department of Urology, Kyoto First Red-Cross Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
3. ³Department of Urology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan

Correspondence: Dr Y Naya, Department of Urology, Matsushita Memorial Hospital, 5-55 Sotojima-cho, Moriguchi, Osaka 570-8540, Japan. E-mail: naya.yoshio@jp.panasonic.com

Received 21 June 2008; Revised 11 September 2008; Accepted 16 September 2008; Published online 16 October 2008.

Abstract

Recently, the association between motorcycling and erectile dysfunction (ED) has been reported. Also, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) were reported to be associated with ED. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association of ED with LUTS in motorcyclists. We investigated the prevalence and the status of ED using a 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) in 150 motorcyclists. ED was diagnosed when the IIEF-5 score was less than 17. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) was also applied, and the relationship between IIEF-5 and IPSS was evaluated. Of the 150 motorcyclists, 37 (25%) had ED, and 31 (21%) had moderate or severe symptoms of LUTS (IPSS 8). The IIEF-5 was significantly associated with the severity of IPSS (P=0.002) and age (P<0.0001). The IIEF-5 was also significantly associated with the scores of both voiding (P<0.0001) and storage symptoms (P=0.001). On stepwise logistic regression analysis, age and storage symptoms are independent risk factors for ED in motorcyclists. LUTS seemed to be associated with ED in motorcyclists.