Association of high LDL concentrations with erectile dysfunction from a Mendelian randomization study

Sci Rep. 2023 Dec 14;13(1):22252. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-49771-1.

Abstract

Lipid metabolism plays a key role in erectile dysfunction. Our purpose was to evaluate the influence of lipid-lowering drugs on erectile dysfunction employing a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study. Genetic instruments were employed to represent the exposure of lipid-lowering drugs. Inverse variance-weighted MR (IVWMR) was employed to calculate the estimation of effects. IVW-MR analysis showed that the positive relationship between the expression of HMGCR and the risk of erectile dysfunction (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.57; p = 0.028). No significant relationship was detected between NPC1L1, PSK9 expression and erectile dysfunction. This MR study suggested that HMGCR inhibitors are a more desirable treatment modality for patients with ED.

MeSH terms

  • Erectile Dysfunction* / genetics
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Humans
  • Hypolipidemic Agents
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Lipids
  • Male
  • Mendelian Randomization Analysis
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Substances

  • Hypolipidemic Agents
  • Lipids