Abstract
Little scientific information is available about relationship between erectile dysfunction and marital status. The repetitive cycle of penile erections during sleep provides an opportunity to objectively measure erectile function. In this study, we analyzed sleep-related erections in 787 men with erectile complaints. Penile rigidity was measured during nocturnal tumescence and compared between groups of men differing in marital status. Mean rigidity was lower for widowers than other groups, mainly because they were older. Age-adjusted covariance analysis revealed lower mean rigidity for single men than for married, separated, and divorced men. Finally, within-group rigidity distributions suggested a psychogenic profile occurring more frequently in divorced men than in other groups. These descriptive data provide the foundation for further study of the relationship between erectile failure and marital status.