In a new study, researchers find that men who suffer from urological problems such as erectile dysfunction, urinary tract and bladder problems or infertility issues often also suffer from depression and sleep disorders.
In the study, 124 patients visiting a Men’s Health clinic in the US completed three urological questionnaires. The men involved in the study were on average 54 years old.
These questionnaires asked whether they had prostate issues or suffered from erectile dysfunction and whether these were age-related.
These men also filled in four other questionnaires about their general health and sleeping habits, including whether they suffered from insomnia, sleepiness or sleep apnea.
The researchers found three in every four participants were overweight, while 22.5% suffered from hypertension, 15% had heart problems, and 13.3% were diabetic.
Two in every five men were mild to severely depressed or had prostate problems.
One in every two patients suffered from sleep apnea or mild to severe erectile problems. Lower levels of male sex hormones were measured in four out of every five men.
The team found links between urologic disease and sleep and mood complaints in patients presenting to a Men’s Health clinic.
Depression, insomnia and sleep apnea were common and were particularly prevalent in older patients, those who were overweight or suffered from lower urinary tract symptoms.
These problems were also common among patients whose body cannot produce enough of the male hormone testosterone.
The team suggests that when addressing the entirety of a patient’s disease burden, a practicing urologist should consider these associations while evaluating a patient.
Because urologists are not specifically trained in sleep medicine or how to manage depression, they should have an appropriate threshold for referral.
This could help prevent patients from slipping through the cracks and being able to more accurately identify those in need of further intervention.
The study is done by the University of California Irvine in the US, and the fining is published in the International Journal of Impotence Research.
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Source: International Journal of Impotence Research.
