The relationship between atherogenic index of plasma and erectile dysfunction: a cross-sectional observational study

The aim of this study was to investigate whether lipid profiles and atherogenic indices differ between patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) and men without ED. This cross-sectional observational study included 142 patients diagnosed with ED and 54 men without ED men serving as the men without ED group. The presence and severity of ED were assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire (IIEF-5). The Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP) was calculated as the logarithm of the ratio of plasma triglycerides (TG) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). No significant differences were observed between men with and without erectile dysfunction regarding lipid parameters or atherogenic indices, including AIP. The overall comparison of IIEF-5 scores across AIP categories was not statistically significant, although a modest difference between the lowest and highest AIP groups emerged in an exploratory, unadjusted subgroup analysis. Testosterone levels showed weak but statistically significant inverse correlations with AIP and the TyG index. In this cohort, atherogenic indices, including AIP, were not independently associated with the presence of erectile dysfunction. Exploratory analyses suggest that higher AIP values may reflect an unfavorable metabolic profile rather than a direct marker of ED severity. These findings should be interpreted cautiously and considered hypothesis-generating.