Genetic and causal relationship between chronic gastrointestinal diseases and erectile dysfunction: a Mendelian randomization study

Background Studies based on observations have indicated potential associations between chronic gastrointestinal diseases and an increased risk of erectile dysfunction (ED). However, the causality of these connections remains ambiguous.Methods Summary data for chronic gastrointestinal diseases were extracted from public data. Summary data on ED were extracted from three distinct sources. The genetic correlations between chronic gastrointestinal diseases and ED were explored using linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC). The causal associations between chronic gastrointestinal diseases and ED were evaluated using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, followed by a meta-analysis to determine the ultimate causal effect.Results The LDSC results suggested significant genetic correlations between Crohn's disease (CD) and ED. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and liver cirrhosis (LC) were found to have potential genetic correlations with ED. The combined multiple MR results indicate that IBD and CD have significant causal relationships with ED, while colorectal cancer (CRC) may have a potential causal effect on ED.Conclusion This research provided evidence supporting a causal association between IBD, CD, CRC, and ED. The impact of chronic gastrointestinal diseases on ED warrants greater attention in clinical practice.