The Relationship Between Sexual Function and Quality of Sleep in Caregiving Mothers of Sons with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Abstract

IntroductionThe task of the caregiver, especially a caregiving mother of a son with a chronic and fatal disease, may interfere with their quality of sleep, sexuality, and some hormone levels.AimThe aim of this study was to evaluate the sexual function and the quality of sleep of caregiving mothers of sons with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).MethodsWe evaluated 20 caregiving mothers of sons with DMD and 20 caregiving mothers of sons without any neuromuscular or chronic disease. All of them voluntarily responded to the evaluating questionnaires about their sexuality and their quality of sleep, and gave blood samples to evaluate their hormonal levels.Main Outcome MeasuresAll mothers were evaluated using the questionnaire of Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Pittsburgh questionnaire (PSQI). The blood samples were tested to determine serum levels of testosterone, estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, progesterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and cortisol.ResultsCaregiving mothers of sons with DMD had significantly lower scores in the FSFI questionnaire, suggesting a higher risk for sexual dysfunction. The PSQI demonstrated that these caregiving mothers present increased sleep latency, reduced sleep efficiency, daytime dysfunction, and poor sleep quality. Blood tests showed a rise in cortisol levels, which correlated with the compromised sexuality and quality of sleep.ConclusionsThis study indicates that caregiving mothers of sons with DMD show major risk for sexual dysfunction and a reduction in their quality of sleep mediated in part by the hormonal changes related to stress. Nozoe KT, Hachul H, Hirotsu C, Polesel DN, Moreira GA, Tufik S, and Andersen ML. The relationship between sexual function and quality of sleep in caregiving mothers of sons with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Sex Med 2014;2:133–140.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy and caregiver burden: a systematic review

“…In total, seven articles measured overall caregiver burden, [9][10][11][12][13][14]22 five HRQoL, [10][11][12][13][14] four stress, 14,[16][17][18] six work life, informal care, and/or associated cost burden, 11,[19][20][21][22]28 five family problems and functioning, 9,14,15,23,24 six sleep, 13,15,21,[25][26][27] five pain and/or discomfort, 12,13,21,23,24 two strain, 13,28 nine anxiety and/or depression, [12][13][14][15]23,24,[26][27][28] two overall caregiver health, 23,24 one self-esteem and mastery (i.e. that life chances are under one's own control), <...>…”

“…Providing informal care to a patient with DMD has been found to be associated with a non-trivial overall burden, including, but not limited to, impaired health and HRQoL, [10][11][12][13][14]23,24 poor sleep quality, 13,15,21,[25][26][27] What this paper adds • A substantial body of evidence describes caregiver burden in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.…”

Profiles of Steroid Hormones in Canine X-Linked Muscular Dystrophy via Stable Isotope Dilution LC-MS/MS

“…Cortisol concentrations may increase by a factor of 20 above the baseline circulating levels due to stress [ 29 ]. We must highlight the altered cortisol level caused by caregiving mother of dysphophic children confirmed the alterations of sexual compromises and sleep [ 30 ].…”

Caregivers’ sleep of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy’s patients: a short review

“…The constant care and the difficulties in accomplishing regular daily tasks, and the major dependency of the sick person, might induce a physical overload and, mainly, a psychological overload to the caregivers [21]. This overload might be manifested by means of several symptoms, such as depression [22][23][24] [28], anxiety [24; 29], cardiovascular problems [30], stress [19], and sleep disorders [31][32][33][34].…”

“…A reduction of sleep time or quality might trigger several consequences to health, including impairments in immune response [35], sexuality [34,36], and metabolism [37]. Therefore, sleep disorders represent a high health risk associated to several comorbities [38].…”