Evaluation of ventricular repolarization parameters in erectile dysfunction: a predictor of cardiac diseases

Background: The purpose of this study is to compare the electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters, which are indicators of ventricular repolarization, between men with erectile dysfunction (ED) and healthy ones. Methods: A total of 56 men aged 30-65 years diagnosed with ED were included in the study from March 2021 to November 2021. The control group comprises 59 year-old healthy male volunteers. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaires were used to diagnose ED. The standard 12-lead surface ECG was taken for the whole study group and QT intervals (time between start of the Q, and end of the T wave seen on an ECG, approximating to the time taken from when the cardiac ventricles start to contract to when they finish relaxing), QRS complex (a combination of Q, R, and S waves seen on a typical ECG), and Tp-e intervals (the interval from the peak to the end of the electrocardiographic T wave seen on an ECG) were measured. The corrected QT (QTc) was calculated according to the heart rate using Bazett's formula. The Tp-e/QT and Tp-e/QTc ratios were calculated. Results: The mean age in the study group was 51.88 years +/- 1.13 years. Comorbid conditions were similar between the ED and control groups. There was no significant difference between the ECG parameters of the groups (i.e., heart rate, RR interval, QT, QTc and QRS duration). However, the Tp-e interval (76.79 ms +/- 1.41 ms vs 70.46 ms +/- 1.27 ms, p = 0.0006), Tp-e/QT (0.21 +/- 0.004 vs 0.19 +/- 0.004, p = 0.0054) and Tp-e/QTc (0.21 +/- 0.004 vs 0.17 +/- 0.004, p < 0.0001) was significantly higher in the ED group than in the healthy control group. Conclusions: The routine cardiac evaluation in cases of a disease knowingly related to cardiovascular diseases, such as ED, provides an opportunity to anticipate possible complications and take precautions. We believe that an inexpensive and non-invasive method such as the ECG is important in this cardiac evaluation. The use of relatively new parameters in routine ECG evaluation such as Tp-e and Tp-e/QT, which show the transmural distribution of repolarization, may also be useful in estimating the risk of arrhythmia.