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 Researchers studied sexual function in 191 patients with psoriasis
and an equal number of healthy men. They found 53 percent of the men
with psoriasis reported erectile dysfunction, compared with 40
percent in the healthy control group.
Men with psoriasis were significantly more likely to report severe
erectile dysfunction, while the men without the condition were much
more apt to describe milder difficulties.
When men with psoriasis do develop erectile dysfunction, they may be
able to improve their sexual health by keeping blood pressure,
cholesterol and blood sugar levels in a healthy range and getting
screening and any needed treatment for depression, said senior study
author Dr. Suyun Ji of Guangdong Provincial Dermatology Hospital in
Guangzhou.
“They must pay attention to their blood pressure, blood lipids,
glucose level and psychological state,” Ji said by email.
Among men with psoriasis, 20 percent of those with erectile
dysfunction described it as mild, while 6 percent said symptoms were
severe, Ji and colleagues report in the International Journal of
Impotence Research.
Absent psoriasis, 22 percent of men with erectile dysfunction said
it was mild and 2 percent reported severe symptoms.
Men with more severe depression were also more apt to report severe
erectile dysfunction, the study also found.
One limitation of the study is that men weren’t randomly selected to
participate, and it’s possible the analysis included men who are
more comfortable talking about their sexual health, the authors
note. That might mean results would be different in a broader
population of men.
Even so, the findings suggest that men with psoriasis should receive
routine screening for sexual dysfunction as well as for depression
and risk factors of cardiovascular disease like diabetes and high
blood pressure, the authors conclude.
The results also add to a growing body of research linking psoriasis
to erectile dysfunction, and to depression, said Dr. Alejandro
Molina-Leyva, a dermatologist at Complejo Hospitalario Torrecardenas
in Almeria, Spain, who wasn’t involved in the study.
Often, men with psoriasis are obese or have other cardiovascular
risk factors that may restrict blood flood in the body, including in
the penis, Molina-Leyva said by email. Psoriasis can also develop on
the penis, contributing to pain and discomfort during sex, and these
men may also have body-image problems or other psychological issues
that impair sexual performance.
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“The psychological impairment of the disease, including anxiety,
depression, embarrassment of their body because of psoriasis
plaques, stigmatization and low self-esteem reduce sexual desire and
produce insecurity and lack of concentration during sexual
relationships, developing erectile dysfunction,” Molina-Leyva added.
Any man who develops erectile dysfunction, regardless of whether
they have psoriasis, should see a doctor, said Dr. Jon Goulding, a
dermatologist at the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust in
Birmingham, U.K., who wasn’t involved in the study.
“A screen for cardiovascular risk factors (e.g. diabetes,
hypertension etc.) is crucial to pick up those which could be
treated, to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke” Goulding
said by email. “Patients with psoriasis already carry a higher than
average risk of cardiovascular disease, so they should strictly
follow standard public health advice about maintaining a healthy
body weight and exercise levels, stop smoking, and reduce alcohol
intake.”
One upside to screening is men can get help with problems in the
bedroom if they need it, Goulding added.
“There are lots of effective treatments for erectile dysfunction if
it does develop, so don’t suffer in silence,” Goulding said.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1RlQXBN International Journal of Impotence
Research, online February 11, 2016.
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