In addition, use of the anti-viral drug Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) seems to be a risk factor for erectile dysfunction (ED).
The study participants were all over 45 (median age 53), with 399 being HIV-positive and 366 (the control group) being HIV-negative. Almost all of the men with HIV were virally suppressed by antiretroviral therapy.
How erectile dysfunction was determined
The researchers used three questions from the International Index of Erectile Function to assess sexual function:
- Have you felt unsatisfied with your own sex life?
- Have you worried about minimal sexual desire?
- How often could you develop an erection while being sexually active?
HIV infection linked to erectile dysfunction
For the third question, 3.6% of the HIV-negative men answered “never” or “a few times,” indicating erectile dysfunction. But for the HIV-positive men, 13% answered “never” or “a few times,” indicating erectile dysfunction.
Use of lopinavir linked to erectile dysfunction
The researchers wondered if it was the lopinavir or the ritonavir booster that caused the bulk of the erectile dysfunction issues, so they looked at exposure to both lopinavir/ritonavir and exposure to only ritonavir. Since the use of ritonavir alone had no link to erectile dysfunction, but the combination drug did, they determined that the use of lopinavir is an independent risk factor for erectile dysfunction.
The explanation for the HIV and ED link
According to Maartje Dijkstra of the Amsterdam Public Health Service, the erectile dysfunction among HIV-positive men is likely due to a higher prevalence of depression, frailty and age-related comorbidities.
If you’re a gay man who is HIV-positive and you’re experiencing erectile dysfunction, talk to your doctor about getting a prescription for one of the main ED drugs: Viagra, Cialis or Levitra.
We specialize in providing our over 1,000,000 customers with relevant product and condition information created by our professional editorial staff which includes our team of medical writers, medical practitioners, and health educators. eDrugStore.com Staff on Facebook