Erectile dysfunction, anxiety, perceived stress, and insomnia are more common among acquired premature ejaculation patients compared to other premature ejaculation syndromes.

Abstract

Premature ejaculation (PE) is the most common ejaculatory function disorder. To date, four types of PE have been identified depending on the severity, onset, and course of the problem. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not there is a difference between these types in respect of anxiety, perceived stress, insomnia severity, and sleep chronotype. The study included 112 patients diagnosed with PE in our clinic between October 2021 and May 2022. The patients were separated into groups according to PE types of lifelong (LPE, n = 39), acquired (APE, n = 45), variable (VPE, n = 10), and subjective (SPE, n = 18). In addition to the demographic and clinical data, the scores were recorded of all participants in the International Index of Erectile Function-5, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Morningness Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). SPE was determined more in university graduate patients (42.1% vs. LPE, 21.1%; APE, 36.8%; VPE, 0%; p = 0.01). In patients with APE, erectile dysfunction was more severe (80.0% vs. LPE, 8.0%; SPE, 12.0%; VPE, 0%; p < 0.001). The median (IQR) PEDT score was determined to be higher in APE than in LPE and SPE (16(5), 13(7), 11(5), p = 0.001, respectively). Patients with APE were determined to have higher median (IQR) ISI (21(9) vs. LPE, 8(7); SPE, 5(8); VPE 8(4), p < 0.001) and PSS scores (35(12) vs. LPE, 22 (7); SPE,22(5); VPE 21(6), p < 0.001), the sleep chronotype was more eveningness according to the MEQ (80.8% vs. LPE, 19.2%; VPE, 0%; SPE, 0%; p < 0.001), and there were seen be more anxiety symptoms (75.5% vs. LPE,12.2%; VPE, 0%; SPE, 12.2%; p < 0.001). Psychological status and sleep health were concluded to be important factors for PE patients, and the patients with acquired PE were the group most affected by these factors.