Erectile dysfunction may be common in men with gout

More attention needs to be paid to the problem of erectile dysfunction in men with gout as a new study suggests that it is a frequent and often severe problem.
A total of 83 men (aged 18 to 89 years) with gout were assessed in terms of their medical history, physical examination and lab results, and signs of erectile dysfunction. They were compared to 118 men who were attending a rheumatology clinic for issues other than gout.
The research group found that 76% of the men with gout had erectile dysfunction issues, compared to 51% of those without gout. And 26% of people with gout had severe erectile dysfunction compared to 15% of men without gout. Age, hypertension, diabetes and obesity were all taken into account.
“Erectile dysfunction is present in most men with gout and is frequently severe,” the research group concludes. “We propose that patients with gout be routinely screened for erectile dysfunction.”
A spokesperson from Arthritis Research UK comments:
“Erectile dysfunction is not commonly associated with gout, so it is something that doctors and patient groups need to be made more aware of.”

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