AIM: The aim of this study was to analyze the sexual dysfunction in patients affected by multiple sclerosis.
METHODS: From
January 2005 to December 2007, 221 consecutive patients, 97 women and
124 men, were included in the study. Age range was 20+/-65 years
(average 38.8). Fifty-two patients, 14 women (26.9%) and 38 men (73%),
among those who have had sexual
dysfunctions, showed their will to tackle their problem, and were thus
taken into consideration by the Department of Andrology. Sexual
activity of these patients has been estimated by self-administered
questionnaire, through the International Index of Erectile Function
(IIEF) for men and Index of Female Sexual
Arousal (IFSA) for women. All 64 patients started a domiciliary therapy
with sildenafil (Viagra) 50 mg, and in case of failure, sildenafil 100 mg.
Results have been estimated for men according to the IIEF questionnaire
and to the answers to the third and fourth question, concerning the
capacity to have and keep an adequate erection during a sexual intercourse, and for women according to the IFSA questionnaire .
RESULTS: Among
the 124 male patients, 25 (20.1%) had a serious deficiency of the
erectile function (score IIEF<10), 11 (8.8%) had a moderate
deficiency (score from 11 to 16), and 20 (16.12%) had a light deficiency
(score from 17 to 25). Twenty-five patients affected with serious
erectile deficiency, also reported a contemporaneous decrease of libido.
Among the 97 female patients, 22 (28.86%) of them reported a serious
decrease of the genital sensitivity and of the sexual
desire; 22 (22.68%) of them reported instead a serious decrease of the
vaginal lubrication; 9 (9.2%) reported a moderate decrease of the
sensitivity, and 10 (10.30%) reported a moderate decrease of the vaginal
lubrication. According to Disability Scale Expanded Score 52 male
patients showed a 2.6 mean score (range 1.5-7); 14 female patients
showed a 2.9 mean score (range 3-6).
CONCLUSION: Sildenafil has been effective and safe in the treatment of sexual dysfunctions for both sexes. In all analysed patients sexual
deficiency was due to the neurological and central nervous system on
which depend different dysfunctions correlated with the extension and
the gravity of the multiple sclerosis. There was improvement of the sexual life quality of these patients, after sildenafil therapy.
AN ITALIAN EXPERIENCE
Lombardi G et al.,Treating erectile dysfunction and central neurological diseases with
oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors. Review of the literature. J Sex Med. 2012 Apr;9(4):970-85. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02615.x. Epub 2012 Feb 3.
Introduction.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is reported in a high percentage of patients
with central neurological disorders (CND). Aim. An up-to-date review
on oral phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5): sildenafil, tadalafil,
and vardenafil for individuals with CND and ED.
Main Outcome Measures.
Various questionnaires on ED, such as the International Index of
Erectile Function composed of 15 questions. Methods. Internationally
published clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of PDE5 on
subjects with CND and ED were selected.
Results. Overall, 28 articles
on PDE5 used to treat patients with CND and ED were included. With each
of the three PDE5 compared to placebo or erectile baseline, literature
reported significant statistical improvement (P<0.01; P<0.05)
only in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). PDE5 efficacy was
documented for SCI patients up to 10 years. The most frequent predicable
factor for PDE5 success was the presence of upper motoneuron lesion.
Each of the three clinical sildenafil studies documented statistically
significant improvement on erectile function in Parkinson's patients
(P<0.01; P<0.05). Two studies reported discordant results
about sildenafil's effectiveness on multiple sclerosis (MS) patients; one on tadalafil showed significant statistical efficacy on erection
versus baseline (P<0.01; P<0.05). The only spina bifida
article determined that sildenafil remarkably improved erectile
function. Overall, drawbacks were mostly slight-moderate, except in
subjects with multiple system atrophy where sildenafil caused severe hypotension.
Conclusions. PDE5 represent first line ED therapy only for SCI
patients, though treatment results through meta-analysis were not
possible. Encouraging results are reported for Parkinson's and MS
patients. PDE5 use for other CND patients is limited for various
reasons, such as ED and concomitant libido impairment caused by
depression and/or sexual endocrinology dysfunctions, and because PDE5
may cause a worsening of neurological illness.
AN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Fraser C et al. Correlates of sexual dysfunction in men and women with multiple sclerosis. J Neurosci Nurs. 2008;40:312-7.
Sexual dysfunction (SD) is an often overlooked disability in multiple sclerosis
(MS). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship
between SD and other disabilities in men and women with MS. The sample
included 32 men and 219 women. The men ranged in age from 32 to 65 years
with a mean of 47.6 years. The women ranged in age from 22 to 77 years
with a mean of 45.4 years. Data were collected using Guy's Neurological
Disability Scale and a demographic questionnaire. In men, a significant
positive relationship was found between SD and lower-limb and bladder
disability. No relationship was found between SD and other MS
disabilities. The most common problems for men involved erection
and ejaculation. For women, a significant positive relationship was
found between SD and all other MS disabilities. The strongest
correlation was between SD and fatigue. The most common problems for
women involved vaginal lubrication and orgasm. No relationship was found
between SD and number of years with MS or age in either men or women.
An open dialogue about SD may improve quality of life for people with
MS. Interventions may include symptomatic treatment, referral of the
couple for sexual counseling, and other approaches that may include
sensory body mapping to enhance communication and pleasure for the
couple living with MS.
.
SERBIAN EXPERIENCE
Tepavcevic DK et al.The impact of sexual dysfunction on the quality of life measured by MSQoL-54 in patients with multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. 2008 Sep;14(8):1131-6. Epub 2008 Jul 16
OBJECTIVE: Sexual dysfunction (SD) is a common but often overlooked symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency, type, and intensity of SD in our patients with MS and to investigate its influence on all the domains of quality of life.
METHODS: The study population comprised a cohort of 109 patients with MS (McDonald's criteria, 2001). SD was quantified by a Szasz sexual functioning scale. Health-related quality of life was measured by a disease-specific instrument MSQoL-54 (Serbian version).
RESULTS: The presence of at least one symptom of SD was found in about 84% of the men and in 85% of the women. The main complaints in women were reduced libido, difficulties in achieving orgasm, and decreased vaginal lubrication; in men, the main complaints were reduced libido, incomplete erections, and premature ejaculation. In women, statistically significant negative correlations between the presence and level of SD and quality of life domains were reached for all subscales (P < 0.01), except for the Pain subscale (P = 0.112). In men, negative correlations were also observed for all domains, but they were statistically significant for physical health, physical role limitations, social function, health distress, sexual function, and sexual function satisfaction (P < 0.01). We found that the presence of all the analyzed types of sexual problems statistically significantly lowered scores on the sexual function and the sexual function satisfaction subscales in both men and women (P < 0.01). The most prominent impact on both domains was observed for the total loss of erection in men and for anorgasmia in women.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results reveal that frequent occurrence of SD in MS patients prominently affects all aspects of their quality of life.