Sexual dysfunction in epileptic men.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of sexual dysfunction among epileptic patients.


METHODS
Eighty married men between 22 and 50 years with a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy were enrolled in this study. Patients with other neurological diseases, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, underlying urogenital diseases, and impaired general health status were excluded. Furthermore, those with mental health problems were identified by the standardized General Health Questionnaire-28 and were excluded. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the disease were evaluated, and sexual function was assessed by the self-administered questionnaire of the International Index of Erectile Function-15 (IIEF-15).


RESULTS
Of 80 patients, 34 (42.5%) had erectile dysfunction. There were no differences between the patients in the 3 age groups in the IIEF scores. Type of seizure had a significant correlation with erectile function score (P = .008). None of the IIEF domains scores were different between the patients with controlled epilepsy and those with uncontrolled epilepsy during the previous 6 months. However, frequency of epileptic seizures (before treatment) correlated with the scores for erectile function (r = 0.31; P = .005), orgasmic function (r = 0.23; P = .04), and sexual desire (r = 0.24; P = .03).


CONCLUSIONS
It seems that the main aspects of sexual activity such as erectile function, orgasmic function, and sexual desire are frequently impaired in epileptic patients. Our findings were also indicative of a higher risk of sexual dysfunction in patients with partial seizures.
Nikoobakht
Mohammadreza
M
Department of Urology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Sina Hospital, Hassanabad Square, Tehran 1995345432, Iran. nikoobakht_m@hotmail.com
Motamedi
Mahmood
M
Orandi
Amirhossein
A
Meysamie
Alipasha
A
Emamzadeh
Ala
A
D000328:Adult; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires