Previously unrecognized diabetes mellitus in sexually impotent men
S. Deutsch and L. Sherman
Three-hour oral glucose tolerance tests (GTTs) were performed for 58 men
with secondary impotence (SI), 63 with normal sexual function (NL), and 69
with premature ejaculation (PRE). All were apparently nondiabetic.
Diagnoses of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance were based on serum
glucose levels during GTT as recently defined by the National Diabetes Data
Group. Covariance analysis corrected for weight and age differences. Mean
glucose levels in patients with SI were significantly higher at one and two
hours after glucose ingestion than in the other groups. Seven patients with
SI (12.1%) were found to have diabetes. The three groups did not differ
notably in frequency of impaired glucose tolerance. Inorganic serum
phosphate levels were lower for the SI group. The high frequency of
diabetes in subjects with SI who have no diabetic symptoms (12.1%) suggests
that localized neuropathy or penile ischemia may produce impotence in
otherwise asymptomatic patients.
