association of E-Cigarettes With Erectile Dysfunction: The Population assessment of Tobacco and health Study

Introduction: This article discusses a study examining the association between electronic nicotine delivery devices (ENDS) use and erectile dysfunction (ED) in male adults in the U.S. The study uses cross-sectional data from the Population assessment of Tobacco and health (PaTh) study and employs multivariate logistic regression models to quantify the association between ENDS use and ED.

Key Points:

* The study sample included male participants aged 20 years and older from the PaTh study who responded to the ED question (N=13,711).
* ED was categorized using a question about the respondent's ability to get and keep an erection adequate for satisfactory intercourse.
* ENDS use was classified as never, former, or current (someday or daily) users.
* Current daily ENDS users were more likely to report ED than never ENDS users in both the full sample (aOR=2.24, 95% CI=1.50, 3.34) and the age-restricted CVD-free sample (aOR=2.41, 95% CI=1.55, 3.74).
* Other factors associated with ED included CVD history, age 65 years and older, and physical inactivity.
* Sensitivity analyses were performed to account for CVD, older age, and patterns of current ENDS use.
* The study also examined the association between ED and cigarette smoking patterns, finding that everyday current use among former cigarette smokers was consistently associated with reporting ED.

Main Message: The study provides evidence of an association between ENDS use and ED in male adults in the U.S. The findings suggest that daily ENDS users may be at a higher risk of reporting ED than those who do not use ENDS daily. Clinicians and researchers should consider the potential risks of ENDS use, including ED, when evaluating the full range of implications of using Food and Drug administration-approved cessation medications versus ENDS for smoking cessation.

Capodicasa G, Caponnetto P, Polosa R, Calogero aE. “association of E-Cigarettes With Erectile Dysfunction: The Population assessment of Tobacco and health Study”. american journal of preventive medicine. 2022;63(3):e103-e104. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2022.03.030