Login to Access Video or Poster Abstract: MP81-03
Sources of Funding: National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia)

Introduction

This study aimed to examine whether there is an independent association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep indices using polysomnography data and erectile dysfunction (ED) in a representative cohort of middle-aged to elderly men.

Methods

Data were drawn from a randomly-selected, community-dwelling cohort of men aged ?35y at recruitment (2002-5). Of these, n=734 men with no prior OSA diagnosis who underwent full in-home polysomnography (Embletta X100; 2010-11) and had complete ED measures (Global Impotence Rating) were selected for the analytic sample (mean age (SD): 60.8 (10.9)). Uni- and multi-adjusted regression models of ED were fitted against PSG measures, along with related covariates.

Results

Of the men examined, 24.7% (n=181) had ED, most notably in men aged over 65 years (p<0.001). Given an observed age interaction (p=0.005), analyses were repeated in age-stratified samples (<65; 65+ years). In men <65 years, only severe OSA was found to have an association with ED (2.01; 1.13-4.69) in unadjusted models, however this effect was attenuated after adjustment. For men 65+ years, an independent association with ED was found for AHI (1.55;1.02-2.36), moderate (1.79;1.18-2.43) and severe (4.84;2.56-9.93) OSA, and ODI (both continuous (1.48;1.03-1.99) and >16 secs (2.79;1.23-6.32)). The effect of AHI on ED was shown to be primarily mediated through ODI (63.4%, Sobel p value=0.29).

Conclusions

In younger, community-based men there appeared no independent relationship between objective measures of sleep and ED. However, there appears a strong, independent relationship between OSA, ODI and ED in men aged 65 and over.

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia)