Adverse impact of sexual dysfunction in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the prevalence, characteristics, and impact of sexual dysfunction in our primary care referral population.


METHODS
Participants seeking treatment for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) were recruited from general urology clinics. The subjects completed the National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index, International Index of Erectile Function-5, and selected questions from the University of Washington Symptom Score. Additional information on demographics and medical and treatment history were also obtained. Sexual dysfunction was defined as self-reported erectile dysfunction (ED) or ejaculatory difficulty, or both.


RESULTS
Of 296 participants with CP/CPPS, 214 (72.3%) reported sexual dysfunction. The National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index total score averaged 22.5 +/- 6.9 for participants with sexual dysfunction compared with 20.4 +/- 7.8 for participants who did not report sexual dysfunction (P = 0.03). Of the 214 participants with sexual dysfunction, 54 (25.0%) complained of ED only, 71 (33.4%) complained of ejaculatory difficulties only, and 89 (41.6%) complained of both ED and ejaculatory difficulties. Men reporting both ED and ejaculatory difficulty reported worse CP/CPPS symptoms (analysis of variance, P = 0.042) and worse quality of life (analysis of variance, P = 0.006) than men without sexual dysfunction.


CONCLUSIONS
Sexual dysfunction was reported by almost three quarters of patients with CP/CPPS. Patients with CP/CPPS and sexual dysfunction experienced substantially worse symptoms, particularly worse quality of life, than other patients with CP/CPPS. Sexual dysfunction merits consideration as an important aspect of CP/CPPS and a potential outcome measure.
Lee
Shaun Wen Huey
SW
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Science Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.
Liong
Men Long
ML
Yuen
Kah Hay
KH
Leong
Wing Seng
WS
Cheah
Phaik Yeong
PY
Khan
Nurzalina Abdul Karim
NA
Krieger
John N
JN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004542:Ejaculation; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013577:Syndrome