Evaluation of the sexual function and quality of life in raloxifene treated postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the net effect of raloxifene on overall quality of life and sexual function in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
The study was performed in the Gynecology and Obstetrics outpatient clinic of Gazi University Faculty of Medicine between January 2002 and February 2005. Fifty postmenopausal women, in whom raloxifene was indicated for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, were considered the study group. Fifty postmenopausal women who were not osteoporotic were enrolled as the control group. Participants completed a questionnaire composed of several parts (GRISS, BDI and ISI), at the beginning and end of the 12-month treatment period.


RESULTS
Two groups were similar to each other with respect to total GRISS scores at the beginning and at the end of the study (P=0.929 and P=0.508; respectively). Raloxifene was associated with a significant improvement from baseline in the total scores of BDI (P=0.0001), whereas this improvement was not significantly different from the control group (P=0.216). With regard to ISI scores, there were no differences between groups in total scores. Raloxifene use did not seem to affect subscores of ISI either.


CONCLUSIONS
This study failed to prove any deleterious effect of raloxifene on quality of life and sexual functions.
Biri
A
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Besevler, 06500 Ankara, Turkey.
Korucuoglu
Umit
U
Ilhan
M N
MN
Ciftci
B
B
Bozkurt
N
N
Guner
H
H
D000368:Aged; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy; D017698:Postmenopause; D011788:Quality of Life; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride