Erectile Function in Men during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This research focused on two age groups of men (under 40 and over 40 years) and their sexual function during the COVID-19 pandemic. Somatic examinations, including the measurement of hormone levels, were conducted on all patients. The subjects also completed two questionnaires and provided personal history data. The first questionnaire covered the evaluation of erectile function, while the second assessed psychosocial trauma and stress. The results in the first group (men under 40 years of age) showed a correlation between prolactin values and erectile function score results (R = 0.54), between erectile function score results and trauma and psychosocial stress symptoms (R = 0.49) and also between prolactin values and trauma and psychosocial stress symptoms (R = 0.53). The results in the second group (men over the age of 40) showed a correlation between prolactin values and erectile function score results (R = 0.42), between erectile function score results and trauma and psychosocial stress symptoms (R = 0.54) and between free testosterone level and erectile function score results (R = 0.32). These findings support the hypothesis of a different impact of stress on the development of erectile dysfunction in men under 40 and over 40 years of age during COVID-19.