Effects of obesity‐related anthropometric indices and body composition on erectile dysfunction mediated by coronary artery disease: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Bao Binghao , Guo Jianqiang , Zhang Lei , Pan Zhengkun , Huang Haonan , Qin Zhongjian , Chen Lu , Zhou Xiaofeng , Liu Baoxing 
Published: April 2023

Background

The causal relationship between obesity‐related anthropometric indicators/body composition and erectile dysfunction has not been established in previous observational studies.

Method

We screened single nucleotide polymorphisms significantly associated with exposure from genome‐wide association studies as instrumental variables (p < 5.0 × 10−8). The summary statistics for erectile dysfunction were collected from a genome‐wide association study with a sample size of 223,805. Exposure and outcome populations included are of European ancestry. We used univariate and multivariate Mendelian randomization (i) to investigate the causal relationship between genetically predicted obesity‐related anthropometric indicators/body composition and erectile dysfunction and (ii) to examine the mediating role of coronary artery disease. Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted using an inverse variance weighted method. A series of sensitivity analyses validated the results of the Mendelian randomization analysis. Causal estimates are expressed as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals.

Results

Obesity‐related anthropometric indicators/body composition were associated with an increased risk of erectile dysfunction in univariate Mendelian randomization analyses. For the 1‐SD increase in body mass index, the odds ratio was 1.841 (95% confidence interval: 1.049–1.355, p = 0.006). For the 1‐SD increase in waist circumference and hip circumference, the odds ratios were 1.275 (95% confidence interval: 1.101–1.478, p = 0.001) and 1.156 (95% confidence interval: 1.015–1.317, p = 0.009), respectively. The odds ratio for the 1‐SD increase in whole body fat mass was 1.221 (95% confidence interval: 1.047–1.388, p = 0.002). For the 1‐SD increase in leg fat percentage (left and right), the odds ratios were 1.256 (95% confidence interval: 1.006–1.567, p = 0.044) and 1.285 (95% confidence interval: 1.027–1.608, p = 0.028), respectively. For the 1‐SD increase in leg fat mass (left and right), the odds ratios were 1.308 (95% confidence interval: 1.108–1.544, p = 0.001) and 1.290 (95% confidence interval: 1.091–1.524, p = 0.003), respectively. For the 1‐SD increase in arm fat mass (left and right), the odds ratios were 1.269 (95% confidence interval: 1.113–1.447, p < 0.001) and 1.254, respectively. Multivariate Mendelian randomization analysis showed that after adjusting for coronary artery disease, some genetic predispositions to obesity‐related anthropometric indicators and body composition were still associated with an increased risk of erectile dysfunction. Significant associations were found for waist circumference–erectile dysfunction (odds ratio: 1.218, 95% confidence interval: 1.036–1.432), leg fat percentage (left)–erectile dysfunction (odds ratio: 1.245, 95% confidence interval: 1.035–1.497), leg fat mass (left)–erectile dysfunction (odds ratio: 1.264, 95% confidence interval: 1.051–1.521), arm fat mass (right)–erectile dysfunction (odds ratio: 1.186, 95% confidence interval: 1.024–1.373), and arm fat mass (left)–erectile dysfunction (odds ratio: 1.17, 95% confidence interval: 1.018–1.360). Meanwhile, coronary artery disease mediated the effects of fat on erectile dysfunction, and the proportion of coronary artery disease‐mediated cases ranged from 10% to 22%.

Conclusion

There is a potential causal relationship between obesity‐related anthropometric indicators/body composition and erectile dysfunction. Higher waist circumference, leg fat percentage, and arm fat mass may increase the risk of erectile dysfunction, and coronary artery disease partly mediates this overall effect. Understanding the causal relationship between obesity and erectile dysfunction and the mediating role of coronary artery disease may provide more information for erectile dysfunction intervention and prevention strategies.