Do oral antiviral drugs used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B cause erectile dysfunction?

Abstract

Objective The effect of antiviral drugs on the erectile dysfunction (ED) problem expressed by some patients using antiviral drugs due to chronic hepatitis B infection (HBV) was investigated. Methods A total of 102 male patients receiving antiviral therapy for HBVinfection without any known non-cirrhotic and comorbid disease that may cause ED and whodon’t use any drugs with an ED formation potential were analyzed through the InternationalIndex of Erectile Function test. Results Among the patients admitted to the study, anxiety disorder was detected as 24.5% (n = 25) and depression as 46.1% (n = 47). 70.6% (n = 72) of the patients suffered ED. Severe ED was only detected in 3 (n = 2.9%) patients. ED was detected in 70.6% of the entecavir, 64.2% of tenofovir, and 80% of Tenofovir alafenamide users (P = 0.287). On the other hand, the logistics regression analysis revealed that the most important factors that increase the risk of ED are age (>55 age; RR: 2.66; P < 0.001), and anxiety disorder (RR: 2.30; P < 0.0001). The cumulative effect of antiviral drugs on ED was 5.7% (RR: 0.8; P = 0.156). Conclusion We could not find any mounting evidence relating to the effect ofcommonly used antiviral drugs for hepatitis B causing ED. The incidence rate of ED on ourpatients was at a similar rate with population studies in the literature based on society. It is notappropriate to terminate antiviral therapy in hepatitis B for this reason.