Premature Ejaculation: An Observational Study of Men and Their Partners

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Abstract
Premature ejaculation (PE) is the most common male sexual dysfunction affecting men and their partners. Lack of community‐based data describing this condition limits understanding of PE and its outcomes. To characterize PE in a large population of men with and without PE using patient‐reported outcome (PRO) measures elicited from men and their partners. 4‐week, multicenter, observational study of males (≥18 years) and their female partners in monogamous relationships (≥6 months). Screening, baseline, and follow‐up visits scheduled at 2‐week intervals. Clinicians diagnosed PE utilizing DSM‐IV‐TR criteria. Intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT), measured by a stopwatch held by the partner, was recorded for each sexual intercourse experience. Subject and partner independently assessed PROs: control over ejaculationand satisfaction with sexual intercourse(0 = very poor to 4 = very good), personal distressand interpersonal difficulty(0 = not at all to 4 = extremely), and severity of PE(0 = none to 3 = severe). Of the total study population (N = 1,587), 207 subjects were diagnosed with PE and 1,380 were assigned to the non‐PE group. Median IELT (min) was 1.8 (range, 0–41) for PE and 7.3 (range, 0–53) for non‐PE subjects (P < 0.0001). More PE vs. non‐PE subjects gave ratings of “very poor” or “poor” for control over ejaculation(72% vs. 5%; P < 0.0001) and satisfaction with sexual intercourse(31% vs. 1%; P < 0.0001). More subjects in the PE vs. non‐PE group gave ratings of “quite a bit” or “extremely” for personal distress(64% vs. 4%; P < 0.0001) and interpersonal difficulty(31% vs. 1%; P < 0.0001). Subject and partner assessments showed similar patterns and correlated moderately (0.36–0.57). PE subjects reported significantly shorter IELT. Overlap in IELT distributions was observed between the PE and non‐PE groups, indicating the need for additional PRO measures to characterize PE. Shorter IELT was significantly associated with reduced ejaculatory control and sexual satisfaction and increased distress and interpersonal difficulty.