The effect of overactive bladder (OAB) on sexual health has been evaluated extensively for women but much less for men. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between OAB and men's sexual activity and the effect of OAB on erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation (PE) in a large representative cohort of men at the population level.
This study was based on computer-assisted web interviews that used validated questionnaires. The most recent census and the sample size estimation calculations were employed to produce a population-representative pool.
The study included 3001 men, representative of the population in terms of age and place of residence. The frequency of sexual intercourse was higher for respondents without OAB symptoms compared with persons who had OAB (p = 0.001), but there was no association between OAB symptoms and number of sexual partners (p = 0.754). Regression models did not confirm the effect of OAB on sexual activity (odds ratio 0.993, CI 0.974-1.013, p = 0.511). Both ED and PE were more prevalent in respondents with OAB symptoms compared with persons who lacked those symptoms (p < 0.001). Importantly, the effect of OAB on ED or PE was independent of age, comorbidities, and lifestyle habits (regression coefficients of 0.13 and 0.158 for ED and PE, respectively).
Overactive bladder did not significantly affect men's sexual activity, but it significantly correlated with ED and PE. Our results suggest a need in daily clinical practice to screen for OAB symptoms for persons who report ED or PE.
World journal of urology. 2024 Mar 13*** epublish ***
Mikolaj Przydacz, Nadir Osman, Sabrina De Cillis, Cyrille Guillot-Tantay, Francois Herve, Tanja Hüsch, Ester Illiano, Antonio Tienza Fernandez, Manuela Tutolo, Luis Vale, Mehmet Gokhan Culha, Fabiana Cancrini, Steeve Doizi, Paolo Geretto, Nicholas Raison, Howard B Goldman, Piotr Chlosta, Veronique Phe
Department of Urology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland. ., Department of Urology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK., Division of Urology, Department of Oncology, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Orbassano, Italy., Service d'urologie, Hôpital Foch, Suresnes, France., Department of Urology, ERN Accredited Centrum, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium., Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany., Andrology and Urogynecology Clinic, Santa Maria Hospital, University of Perugia, Terni, Italy., Department of Urology, Son Espases University Hospital, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain., Unit of Urology, Division of Oncology, Urological Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy., Department of Urology, Centro Hospitalar Universitario Sao Joao, Porto, Portugal., Department of Urology, Prof. Dr. Cemil Tascioglu City Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey., Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy., Department of Urology, Tenon Hospital, Sorbonne University, Paris, France., Division of Neuro-Urology, Department of Surgical Sciences, CTO Hospital, Citta della Salute e della Scienza, Turin, Italy., Department of Urology, King's College Hospital, King's College London, London, UK., Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, USA., Department of Urology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland., Department of Urology, Sorbonne University, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Tenon Academic Hospital, Paris, France.