OBJECTIVE: There is some evidence that aging deteriorates the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in physical area, although mental area remains stable, even suffering chronic diseases, because of adaptation mechanisms. The objective of the present study was to confirm the existence of this psychological adaptation capacity in chronic patients as kidney transplant bearers. METHODS: We studied the Erectile Dysfunction (ED) using the IIEF-5, and the HRQOL, using the SF-36 Health Survey, in all renal transplant patients of our region (n=242), searching for the influence of ED over the HRQOL of these patients. RESULTS: Included patients=199 (82%); Excluded patients=44. Median age was 52 yrs. (43-62); 106 patients (54.9%) presented ED measured by a IIEF-5 score=<21 points. Severity of ED was as follows: severe ED=20.7%, moderate ED=10.9%, mild to moderate ED=11,4%, mild ED=11.9% and no ED=45.1%. These patients were separated into four groups according to median age and quartiles:=<42 years (group1); 43 to 51 (group2); 52 to 61 (group3); and >=62 (group4). SF-36 scores were worse for ED patients in the 3 first age groups, but not in the aged group 4. These differences between patients with ED and patients without ED were statistically significant in age groups 2 and 3, mainly in physical areas: Group 1, Bodily Pain; Group 2, General Health and Physical Component Summary score (PCS); Group 3, Rol Physical, Vitality and PCS. SF-36 Mental Component Summary (MCS) was similar for patients with ED and patients without ED in all age groups. CONCLUSIONS: Opposite to commonly accepted, we confirmed the hypothesis that a mental adaptation occurs in chronic patients as the studied subjects. Association found of ED with PCS and other dimensions of physical area could be explained with the intermediate influence of other variables.