Female Sexual Dysfunction Among Greek Women With Multiple Sclerosis: Correlations With Organic and Psychological Factors

Abstract

Introduction Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a degenerative neurological disease that usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 50 years. Sexuality issues are important factors that affect the quality of life of patients. Aim To determine and evaluate the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in Greek women with MS and correlate it with organic and psychological factors. Methods 248 consecutive women with MS, aged over 18 who admitted to our outpatient clinics from February 2016 to March 2017 were included in the study. Demographics (age, marital status, menopause status, number of children) and disease-related data such as the duration of the disease, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and medication for MS obtained. Main Outcome Measure All participants completed the Greek validated versions of the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Female Sexual Function Inventory (FSFI) questionnaires. Statistics used to estimate the prevalence of FSD and its correlation with organic (age, EDSS, duration of the disease, menopause status) and psychological factors (depression, anxiety, stress). Results FSD was diagnosed in 64.5% of our sample. Age was associated with most subscales of the FSFI. There was no significant correlation in FSFI subscales with the disease duration. Correlation of EDSS and FSFI scores was found to be statistically significant with a negative correlation in all subscales apart from the Satisfaction subscale. Regarding the association between DASS domains and FSFI subscales, there were no significant correlations. Conclusion FSD is common among Greek women; it is influenced by age, severity of disease, and it is independent of the existence of depression, anxiety, and stress. Konstantinidis C, Tzitzika M, Bantis A, et al. Female sexual dysfunction among Greek women with multiple sclerosis: Correlations with organic and psychological factors. Sex Med 2019;7:19–25.

Sexual dysfunction in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

“…This finding was consistent with a previously reported correlation between depression and SD in MS (Fragala et al, 2014, Kisic-Tepavcevic et al, 2015. In addition, our study showed that anxiety disorders were common in NMOSD patients, with a prevalence of 52%, similar to that previously reported in MS (Konstantinidis et al, 2019;Shi et al, 2016). A positive correlation between anxiety and SD was described in MS patients (Fragala et al, 2014), and our study shows a similar relationship in NMOSD.…”

“…Among patients with MS, SD affects 40%-80% of women and 50%-90% of men (Kisic-Tepavcevic et al, 2015;Schmidt et al, 2005). Moreover, multiple studies reported that age, disability, depression, fatigue and lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) are independent risk factors for the deterioration of sexual function (Fragala et al, 2014, Fragala et al, 2015, Kisic-Tepavcevic, Pekmezovic, 2015, Konstantinidis et al, 2019.…”

Relationship Between Bowel/bladder, and Sexual Dysfunction With Health-Related Quality of Life in Women With Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

“…Physical disability of MS patients which is shown with EDSS, had negative correlation with FSFI. In a previous study, Konstantinidis at al, reported significant negative correlations between FSFI and its subscales except for desire and satisfaction (25). Alehashemi et al, and Ghajarzadeh et al reported significant negative correlation between EDSS and FSFI which confirms our findings as well as Gumus ans Gava (23,24,26,27).…”

Sexual dysfunction in women with multiple sclerosis: prevalence and impact on quality of life

“…In the present study, a negative and significant correlation was found between the EDSS score and the total scores of FSFI and its subscales, except for desire and pain, and studies by Alehashemi (2019) and Ghajarzadeh (2014) showed a significant negative relationship between the EDSS scores and the total FSFI scores (P = 0.032, r = 0.35 and P = 0.001, r = 0.44). Koranian (2017) also found an inverse and significant relationship between the EDSS level and the total FSFI score and its subscale scores, except for pain (P = 0.001, r = 0.61), and Konstantinidis (2019) also found an inverse and significant relationship between the EDSS level and the FSFI subscale scores, except for arousal and satisfaction [41]. Celik (2013) showed a direct and significant relationship between the EDSS score and secondary (P = 0.001, r = 0.34) and tertiary (P = 0.032, r = 0.35) SD.…”