Psychological Distress is Correlated with Erectile Dysfunction Among Patients Receiving Methadone Maintenance in Taiwan

OBJECTIVE: Although erectile dysfunction (ED) is prevalent in patients receiving long-term methadone maintenance, studies in Chinese culture exploring the relationship between psychological distress and ED are scarce. METHODS: One hundred eighty-seven male patients in methadone maintenance treatment were assessed in this cross-sectional study. Instruments included the Opiate Treatment Index (OTI) to evaluate the health-related consequences of methadone treatment and the Chinese Health Questionnaire-12 (CHQ-12) for the assessment of psychological distress, respectively. ED was defined by the International Index of Erectile Function 15. Quality of life was measured using the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions. We constructed a multiple linear regression model to examine the associations between the determinants and ED. RESULTS: The CHQ-12 score had a significant relationship with the severity of ED after controlling for all important variables. The social functioning domain of the OTI and methadone dose was also significantly correlated with ED. CONCLUSIONS: The strong relationship between psychological distress and ED emphasized the importance of both diagnosis and management of ED among methadone patients receiving long-term maintenance treatment. The etiological relationship between methadone dose and ED require further investigation.