Psoriasis Linked to Erectile Dysfunction and Cardiovascular Risk: Study
A new study published in the journal of Dermatology Reports recognized psoriasis to be a risk factor for erectile dysfunction (ED), and the presence of ED in men with psoriasis may act as an early warning sign of underlying cardiovascular risk.
In a case-control study involved 301 sexually active men aged 18 and older, and compared 135 male patients diagnosed with psoriasis to 166 healthy individuals. All participants had been sexually active within the previous 6 months, ensuring the relevance of sexual health assessments. Erectile function was evaluated using the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), a widely accepted screening tool for ED risk and severity.
The findings revealed that more than four out of five men with psoriasis (80.7%) experienced some degree of erectile dysfunction, when compared to 67.5% among healthy controls. Not only was ED more prevalent in the psoriasis group, but its severity was also greater, with a significantly higher proportion of patients falling into the moderate-to-severe ED categories.
Older age and obesity were associated with higher rates of erectile dysfunction, reflecting well-known risk patterns in the general population. However, psoriasis-specific factors also played a critical role. Men who developed psoriasis at an earlier age, had higher Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores, reported poorer quality of life on the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), or had genital involvement were more likely to experience ED.
When these variables were analyzed together, advanced age and higher PASI scores emerged as independent predictors of erectile dysfunction. This suggests that the severity of skin inflammation itself contributes directly to sexual health impairment.
When comparing demographic characteristics like age and body mass index between patients and controls, followed by a breakdown of ED severity categories based on IIEF-5 scores. Additional tables examine correlations between erectile dysfunction and psoriasis-related features, illustrating how increasing disease severity, poorer quality of life scores, and the presence of genital lesions align with worsening erectile function. A final analysis identifies which factors remain significant after adjusting for confounders, which highlighted age and PASI as key drivers.
ED is increasingly recognized as an early marker of cardiovascular disease in psoriasis patients due to shared inflammatory pathways. Overall, these findings emphasize the need for routine screening for sexual dysfunction which could improve both long-term health outcomes and overall well-being for male patients living with this chronic disease.
Source:
Huynh, L. V., Le, T. T. H., Pham, N. T. U., & Nguyen, H. T. (2026). Erectile dysfunction and associated factors in males with psoriasis: a case-control study. Dermatology Reports. https://doi.org/10.4081/dr.2026.10213
