The effect of obesity and components of metabolic syndrome on urinary and sexual functions in Saudi men

OBJECTIVE To establish a possible association between obesity, measured by waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI), and voiding and sexual functions in a random cohort of Saudi men. MATERIALS AND METHODS An outpatient men's health clinic was set up at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and men were invited to discuss their sexual and urinary functions. The data collected included age, WC, weight, height, blood pressure, history of diabetes, hypertension, and smoking. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and the International Inventory of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire were used to assess urinary tract symptoms and sexual function, respectively. Serum testosterone, prostate-specific antigen and cholesterol levels were measured and documented. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. RESULTS We recruited 113 participants. The mean WC and BMI of the men were 104 ± 14.599 cm and 29.706 kg/m(2), respectively. Thirty-seven men (32.7%) had an IPSS ≥ 8 points. Sexual disorders were reported in 19 men; 16 men had erectile dysfunction, while three had premature ejaculation. Of the whole cohort, 37 men were diabetic, of which 15 (40.5%) had an IPSS ≥ 8 and 13 (35%) were either overweight or obese. CONCLUSION Increased WC and BMI were associated with diabetes mellitus and large percentages of voiding and sexual disorders.