IMR Press / JOMH / Volume 18 / Issue 3 / DOI: 10.31083/jomh.2021.114
Open Access Case Report
Retrograde ejaculation as an initial presenting symptom of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a case report and literature review
Show Less
1 Department of Endocrinology, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Ningbo University, 315020 Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
2 Department of Urology, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Ningbo University, 315020 Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
*Correspondence: maoyushan@nbu.edu.cn (Yu-Shan Mao)
J. Mens. Health 2022, 18(3), 58; https://doi.org/10.31083/jomh.2021.114
Submitted: 13 July 2021 | Accepted: 25 August 2021 | Published: 28 February 2022
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Retrograde ejaculation (RE), known as one of the late complications of diabetes mellitus, is rarely a presenting symptom in the diagnosis of diabetes. A 30-year-old male presented with a progressive decline in ejaculate over 2-month. Lab results revealed a high random blood glucose level (425 mg/dL). A substantial number of sperm were found in the post-ejaculate urine specimens, confirming a diagnosis of RE. Further lab tests revealed an hemoglobin-A1c (HbA1c) of 12.7%, with negative results for antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase, insulin antigen-2, insulin receptor and islet cell, consistent with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Insulin glargine and oral anti-hyperglycemic agents were initiated. Also, imipramine and pseudoephedrine were prescribed for 4-week and then discontinued, as no positive effect on ejaculation was seen. At the 36-month follow-up, the patient had a normal glucose level with HbA1c <6.5%. However, RE persisted. RE is commonly seen as a late-stage complication among T2DM. We presented a rare case where RE was the first referred symptom of T2DM and RE persisted even after adequate control of glycemia.

Keywords
Retrograde ejaculation
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Complication
Case report
Share
Back to top