Objective: Cardiovascular (CV) risk factors are associated with an increased risk of erectile dysfunction (ED). In men with diabetes mellitus (DM), pooled from clinical trials of sildenafil treatment for ED, this retrospective analysis determined efficacy and safety, overall and in subgroups with additional CV risk (i.e., hypertension, dyslipidemia, and smoking).
Research design and methods: From the manufacturer's database of worldwide research, 12-week data from men with DM were pooled from randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of flexible-dose sildenafil (25, 50, or 100 mg, PRN) for ED.
Main outcome measures: Question 3 (achieving an erection), question 4 (maintaining an erection), and the Erectile Function domain of the International Index of Erectile Function; percentage of successful intercourse attempts according to patient event logs; and response to a global efficacy question (GEQ). Differences between groups were determined using logistic regression (percentage of responders according to GEQ) and analysis of covariance (all other outcomes).
Results: Inclusion criteria were met by 11 trials and by 974 men with DM and ED who were randomized to placebo (n = 482) and sildenafil (n = 492) within the selected trials. For all outcomes, overall and regardless of additional CV risk, the benefit was greater for sildenafil versus placebo (p < or = 0.0001), including 3-fold more men responding that sildenafil treatment improved their erections (62% vs. 18%) and a more than doubling of the mean +/- standard error percentage of successful sexual intercourse attempts (52.6 +/- 5.0 vs. 22.4 +/- 5.1). Adverse events were mild to moderate and included (sildenafil vs. placebo) headache (5% vs. 2%), flushing (7% vs. 2%), and dyspepsia (4% vs. 0%), which is consistent with the profile in the general population of men treated with sildenafil for ED.
Conclusion: This retrospective analysis of pooled data showed that sildenafil was well tolerated and improved erectile function and intercourse success in men with ED and DM, regardless of additional CV risk factors.