Sexual dysfunction and dissatisfaction in chronic hepatitis C patients

Abstract

564www.scielo.br/rsbmt I www.rsbmt.org.br Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 47(5):564-572, Sep-Oct, 2014http://dx.doi. org/10.1590/0037-8682-0147-2014 Major Article ABSTRACT Introduction: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction (SD) and dissatisfaction with sexual life (DSL) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection (CHC) was jointly investigated via a thorough psychopathological analysis, which included dimensions such as fatigue, impulsiveness, psychiatric comorbidity, health-related quality of life (HRQL) and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: Male and female CHC patients from an outpatient referral center were assessed using the Brief Fatigue Inventory, the Barrat Impulsiveness Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF). Structured psychiatric interviews were performed according to the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. SD was assessed based on specifi c items in the BDI (item 21) and the HAM-A (item 12). DSL was assessed based on a specifi c question in the WHOQOL-BREF (item 21). Multivariate analysis was performed according to an ordinal linear regression model in which SD and DSL were considered as outcome variables. Results: SD was reported by 60 (57.1%) of the patients according to the results of the BDI and by 54 (51.4%) of the patients according to the results of the HAM-A. SD was associated with older age, female gender, viral genotype 2 or 3, interferon-α use, impulsiveness, depressive symptoms, antidepressant and benzodiazepine use, and lower HRQL. DSL was reported by 34 (32.4%) of the patients and was associated with depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, antidepressant use, and lower HRQL. Conclusions: The prevalence of SD and DSL in CHC patients was high and was associated with factors, such as depressive symptoms and antidepressant use. Screening and managing these conditions represent signifi cant steps toward improving medical assistance and the HRQL of CHC patients.

Sexual Dysfunction; Patients With Chronic Liver Disease

“…Similar high prevalence of sexual dysfunction and Figure-1 dissatisfaction with sexual life was reported by Fábregas BC et al 13 When comparison was done in our study between both genders, 52.2% females were found to be experiencing sexual dysfunction and 51% male were having sexual dysfunction which shows that female were having more sexual dysfunction as compared to male. In another study related to sexual dysfunction before and after liver transplantation showed that males were more affected as compare to female.…”

Assessment of factors associated with the quality of life of patients living with HIV/HCV co-infection

“…Similarly, among HCV patients, QoL has also been associated with demographic variables (Strauss & Teixeira, 2006), although the results of the studies that have examined these associations are mixed. In HCV studies, factors that were found to be associated with decreased QoL include female gender (Bonkovsky et al, 2007;Kallman et al, 2007;Teuber et al, 2008), older age (Bonkovsky et al, 2007;Fleming et al, 2004;Helbling et al, 2008;Teuber et al, 2008), not being married or living as married (Bonkovsky et al, 2007;Fábregas et al, 2013), unemployment or lack or work activity (Miller et al, 2001), lower education (Alves et al, 2012) and IDU (Braitstein et al, 2005;Helbling et al, 2008).…”

A Qualitative Study on Marital Challenges of Chronic Hepatitis B Patients

“…While participants of this study were inactive carriers of HBV and did not receive any kind of antiviral medication, the findings of the previous study on marital adjustment in Iran showed no difference in marital adjustment between chronic active hepatitis patients, inactive carriers, and healthy individuals in the country (32). High prevalance of dissatisfaction with sexual life and sexual dysfunction was found in chronic hepatitis C patients in Brazil, and it was related to factors such as symptoms of depression or taking antidepressants (18). Decreased sexual function due to either disease or hepatitis C treatment, fear of disease transmission, or lack of sexual interest were observed in hepatitis C patients; regardless of the underlying reasons, decreased sexual function leads to worse sexual relations in partners (19).…”

“…On the contrary, there is a lack of qualitative researches on reporting sexual health of males and females with chronic diseases that consider their subjective experiences (17). Because a few studies exist on marital problems in patients with chronic hepatitis C (18)(19)(20), knowledge on marital problems of HBV carriers is limited. As hepatitis B infection is a confidential and unparalleled experience, to have a detailed understanding of the patients' marital challenges, which are the most confidential secrets of private life, using a qualitative approach will be helpful.…”