[The role of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism in development of erectile dysfunction in patients with metabolic syndrome].

To ascertain relations between angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism and erectile dysfunction (ED) in male citizens of Russia with metabolic syndrome, we made a retrospective comparative analysis of ACE gene polymorphism incidence rate in two groups of males with metabolic syndrome: with ED (n=385) and free of ED (n=152). We discovered that ED patients have DD genotype and D-allele more frequently (68.3 vs. 38.2%, p < 0.001 and 81.3 vs 63.8%, p < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, severe ED is associated with significantly more frequent incidence of genotype DD compared to moderate and mild ED. Incidence of allele D is also more frequent in patients with severe ED (93.4%). Thus, D-allele of ACE gene is an ED risk factor in males with metabolic syndrome. Therefore, ED can be considered as one of vascular complications of metabolic syndrome.