Low sexual function is associated with menopausal status in mid-aged women with human immunodeficiency virus infection

Abstract

Objective: To assess the association between menopausal status and female sexual function among mid-aged women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study of 221 sexually active HIV-infected women ages 40 to 59 years, based on a secondary analysis of a three-hospital survey in Lima, Peru ´. We classified menopausal status according to Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop criteria (STRAWþ10); this exposure variable was categorized as binary (non-postmenopausal and postmenopausal) and-for exploratory analysis-as multinomial (pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal). We defined low sexual function (LSF) using the 6-item Female Sexual Function Index (total score 19). Socio-demographic and clinical variables were assessed, including age, used highly active antiretroviral therapy scheme, disease duration, depressive symptoms, and co-morbidities. We performed Poisson generalized linear models with a robust variance to estimate 95% confidence interval (CI), crude prevalence ratios (cPRs), and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) by epidemiological and statistical approaches using nonparametric method of bias-corrected and accelerated bootstrap resampling with 1,000 repetitions.Results: Studied women had a median age of 47.0 years (interquartile range: 7.5); 25.3% were premenopausal, 25.8% were perimenopausal, and 48.9% were postmenopausal. Also, 64.3% had LSF. The frequency of LSF was 53.6% in nonpostmenopausal and 75.0% in postmenopausal women. Postmenopausal status was associated with LSF in both the crude (cPR ¼ 1.39; 95% CI: 1.13-1.71) and the adjusted regression models (aPR ¼ 1.38; 95% CI: 1.12-1.71).Conclusions: HIV-infected postmenopausal women have a higher prevalence of LSF than those nonpostmenopausal ones, even when adjusting for multiple potential confounders.

Low genitourinary tract risks in women living with the human immunodeficiency virus

“…WLHIV in Peru, aged 40-59 years, reported menopausal symptoms and sexual dysfunction related to non-adherence to ART [73]. Postmenopausal women had lower FSFI scores than those who were premenopausal.…”