TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of Asthma on the Sexual Functioning of Patients. A Case–Control Study
AU - Soto Campos, José Gregorio
AU - Rojas Villegas, Josefa
AU - Padilla Galo, Alicia
AU - Marina Malanda, Nuria
AU - Garcia Rivero, Juan Luis
AU - Pinedo Sierra, Celia
AU - Garcia Salmones, Mercedes
AU - Cabrera Galán, Carmen
AU - Segura Molina, Esperanza
AU - Plaza, Vicente
AU - Pascual Erquicia, Silvia
PY - 2017/12/1
Y1 - 2017/12/1
N2 - © 2017 SEPAR Introduction Sexual limitations play an important role in the quality of life of patients with chronic diseases. Very limited information is available on the impact of asthma on the sexual functioning of these individuals. Materials and methods Cross-sectional, observational, multicenter study. Asthma patients and healthy individuals were recruited. All subjects participated in an interview in which demographic and clinical data were recorded, and completed the Goldberg Anxiety-Depression Scale (GADS) to evaluate the presence of concomitant psychiatric disease. Men also completed the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), and women, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Results A total of 276 cases were included, comprising 172 asthma patients (63 men and 109 women) with a mean age of 42 (±14) years, and 104 controls (52 men and 51 women) with a mean age of 39 (±12) years. Time since onset of asthma was 15 years and severity distribution was: 6.4% intermittent, 17.9% mild persistent, 47.4% moderate, and 28.2% severe. Disease was considered controlled in 57.7%, partially controlled in 28.2%, and uncontrolled in 14.1%. Women with asthma had greater sexual limitations than women in the control group, with a total FSFI score of 22.1 (±9) compared to 26.5 (±6.8), respectively (P<.005). Men with asthma had significantly more severe erectile dysfunction with a total IIEF score of 59.5 (±12.5) compared to 64.3 (±8.2) in male controls (P<.05). An association was also observed between sexual problems and poorer asthma control. Conclusions Asthma is associated with a poorer sexual quality of life among patients. These results should arouse the interest of healthcare professionals in detecting and alleviating possible sexual limitations among their asthma patients in routine clinical practice.
AB - © 2017 SEPAR Introduction Sexual limitations play an important role in the quality of life of patients with chronic diseases. Very limited information is available on the impact of asthma on the sexual functioning of these individuals. Materials and methods Cross-sectional, observational, multicenter study. Asthma patients and healthy individuals were recruited. All subjects participated in an interview in which demographic and clinical data were recorded, and completed the Goldberg Anxiety-Depression Scale (GADS) to evaluate the presence of concomitant psychiatric disease. Men also completed the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), and women, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Results A total of 276 cases were included, comprising 172 asthma patients (63 men and 109 women) with a mean age of 42 (±14) years, and 104 controls (52 men and 51 women) with a mean age of 39 (±12) years. Time since onset of asthma was 15 years and severity distribution was: 6.4% intermittent, 17.9% mild persistent, 47.4% moderate, and 28.2% severe. Disease was considered controlled in 57.7%, partially controlled in 28.2%, and uncontrolled in 14.1%. Women with asthma had greater sexual limitations than women in the control group, with a total FSFI score of 22.1 (±9) compared to 26.5 (±6.8), respectively (P<.005). Men with asthma had significantly more severe erectile dysfunction with a total IIEF score of 59.5 (±12.5) compared to 64.3 (±8.2) in male controls (P<.05). An association was also observed between sexual problems and poorer asthma control. Conclusions Asthma is associated with a poorer sexual quality of life among patients. These results should arouse the interest of healthcare professionals in detecting and alleviating possible sexual limitations among their asthma patients in routine clinical practice.
KW - Asthma
KW - Quality of life
KW - Sexual functioning
U2 - 10.1016/j.arbr.2017.10.006
DO - 10.1016/j.arbr.2017.10.006
M3 - Article
VL - 53
SP - 667
EP - 674
IS - 12
ER -