Association of ambient temperature and diurnal temperature range exposure during adolescence with adult IIEF-5 and PEDT scores: a cross-sectional study in China
4 affiliations
- 1Reproductive Medicine Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University , , ,
- 2Department of Clinical Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University , , ,
- 3Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University , ,
- 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , ,
Abstract
Background: Exposure to extreme temperatures and diurnal temperature range (DTR) has been linked to impaired male reproductive health, yet studies investigating the associations between such exposures during adolescence and adult male sexual function (MSF) remain limited.
Methods: We analyzed data from 5,039 sexually active males across 31 provinces in China, drawn from a two-stage quota-sampled cross-sectional online survey conducted in 2023. Exposure periods included all adolescence (10–19 years), early adolescence (10–14 years), and late adolescence (15–19 years). Adolescent temperature and DTR exposures were retrospectively estimated using participants' current adult residential addresses. Generalized additive models and hierarchical linear models were employed to assess the associations between temperature and DTR exposure and self-reported MSF, measured by the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) and the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5).
Results: Generalized additive models suggested U-shaped and J-shaped trends for ambient temperature and DTR with PEDT scores, respectively, and formal tests confirmed significant departure from linearity. Exposure to extremely hot temperatures (> 90th percentile) during early adolescence was associated with higher PEDT scores (β: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.24–1.10) compared to moderate temperatures. Higher DTR exposure (>80th percentile) during all adolescence (β: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.29–1.22), early adolescence (β: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.28–1.21), and late adolescence (β: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.00–0.96) was also associated with higher PEDT scores. No significant associations were observed between temperature or DTR exposure and IIEF-5 scores.
Conclusions: Our study provides preliminary epidemiological evidence that adolescent exposure to extremely hot temperatures and higher DTR is associated with higher PEDT scores in adulthood, with no association observed for IIEF-5 scores.
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BibTeX
@article{zhang2026association,
title = {{Association of ambient temperature and diurnal temperature range exposure during adolescence with adult IIEF-5 and PEDT scores: a cross-sectional study in China}},
author = {Weiqian Zhang and Rui Qu and Jiayu Wang and Jingxuan Wang and Feng Zhang and Yiqiu Wei and Zihan Guo and Yan Zhang and Jue Liu and Tailang Yin and Dongdong Tang},
journal = {Frontiers in reproductive health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/frph.2026.1955542},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13719567},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Association of ambient temperature and diurnal temperature range exposure during adolescence with adult IIEF-5 and PEDT scores: a cross-sectional study in China
AU - Weiqian Zhang
AU - Rui Qu
AU - Jiayu Wang
AU - Jingxuan Wang
AU - Feng Zhang
AU - Yiqiu Wei
AU - Zihan Guo
AU - Yan Zhang
AU - Jue Liu
AU - Tailang Yin
AU - Dongdong Tang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/16
JO - Frontiers in reproductive health
DO - 10.3389/frph.2026.1955542
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13719567
AB - Background: Exposure to extreme temperatures and diurnal temperature range (DTR) has been linked to impaired male reproductive health, yet studies investigating the associations between such exposures during adolescence and adult male sexual function (MSF) remain limited. Methods: We analyzed data from 5,039 sexually active males across 31 provinces in China, drawn from a two-stage quota-sampled cross-sectional online survey conducted in 2023. Exposure periods included all adolescence (10–19 years), early adolescence (10–14 years), and late adolescence (15–19 years). Adolescent temperature and DTR exposures were retrospectively estimated using participants' current adult residential addresses. Generalized additive models and hierarchical linear models were employed to assess the associations between temperature and DTR exposure and self-reported MSF, measured by the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) and the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5). Results: Generalized additive models suggested U-shaped and J-shaped trends for ambient temperature and DTR with PEDT scores, respectively, and formal tests confirmed significant departure from linearity. Exposure to extremely hot temperatures (> 90th percentile) during early adolescence was associated with higher PEDT scores (β: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.24–1.10) compared to moderate temperatures. Higher DTR exposure (>80th percentile) during all adolescence (β: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.29–1.22), early adolescence (β: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.28–1.21), and late adolescence (β: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.00–0.96) was also associated with higher PEDT scores. No significant associations were observed between temperature or DTR exposure and IIEF-5 scores. Conclusions: Our study provides preliminary epidemiological evidence that adolescent exposure to extremely hot temperatures and higher DTR is associated with higher PEDT scores in adulthood, with no association observed for IIEF-5 scores.
SN - 2673-3153
ER -