Comparing Risk of Post Infection Erectile Dysfunction Following SARS Coronavirus 2 Stratified by Acute and Long COVID, Hospitalization Status, and Vasopressor Administration (preprint)

ABSTRACT

No study has yet assessed the risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED) after a diagnosis of long COVID-19, especially when compared to those diagnosed with only acute COVID or cases in which more severe treatment is required. To assess these risks, we queried the TriNetX COVID-19 Research Network from December 1st 2020 through June 2023. Men aged ≥ 18 diagnosed with long COVID-19 were compared to those diagnosed with acute COVID-19 and analyses were performed to compare men who were/were not hospitalized within 1 month of acute COVID diagnosis and men who did/did not need vasopressors. Cohorts were propensity score matched and compared for differences in new ED diagnosis and/or prescription of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i). After propensity score matching, the long and acute COVID cohorts included 2839 men with an average age of 54.5±16.7 years and 55.1±17.1 respectively. Men with long COVID-19 were more likely to develop ED or be prescribed PDE5i (3.63%) when compared to men with only acute COVID-19 infections (2.61%) [RR 1.39; 95% CI 1.04, 1.87]. There was no statistically significant risk of developing ED or being prescribed PDE5i for individuals who received vasopressors [RR 0.922; 95% CI 0.774,1.098] or were hospitalized [RR 0.933; 95% CI 0.824,1.056].