Diabetic Retinopathy and Erectile Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetics in a Sub-Saharan African Population

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, predictors, and the relationship between diabetic retinopathy (DR) and erectile dysfunction (ED) in diabetic males attending a secondary health care center in Zaria, Nigeria. Methods: This study was a hospital-based cross-sectional study involving adult male diabetics attending the outpatient department of a secondary health care center—Gambo Sawaba Hospital in Zaria. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to determine self-reported ED or impotence. Dilated fundoscopy was carried out using a slit-lamp biomicroscope with a +78D Volk lens. Results: A total of 98 diabetic males were recruited for the study, with a mean age of 55.91 ± 11.70 years. Self-reported ED was found in 38.8% of the participants, and DR was observed in 65.3% of them. The presence of any form of DR was found to be associated with ED ( P = 0.02, odds ratio = 9.47, 95% confidence interval: 2.30–38.99). This association was independent of the other identified ( P < 0.05) predictive risk factors [age, duration of diabetes, and fasting blood sugar (FBS)] for ED. Conclusion: There is a direct relationship between DR and ED in patients with type 2 diabetes, irrespective of age, duration of diabetes, and FBS levels.