Effect of musculoskeletal pain on sexuality of male adolescents and adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a questionnaire for the evaluation of sexuality of male patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).


METHODS
A cohort of male patients with rheumatoid factor (RF)-negative polyarticular JIA according to the 2004 revised ILAR criteria and inactive disease was studied. The Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) was applied to all patients. As a control group, 120 age-matched males of the same socioeconomic status were evaluated. A self-administered structured instrument, the Male Sexual Evaluation Questionnaire (MSEQ), was developed by multiprofessional experts to assess sexual life, including satisfaction, practice, and related functional aspects.


RESULTS
Thirty-two male patients with RF-negative polyarticular JIA [mean age 20.8+/-3.8 yrs (range 16-26), mean disease duration 15.4+/-3.6 yrs (range 13-20)] were studied. Mean HAQ score was 1.25+/-0.67 (range 0.1-2.1). Masturbation was practiced similarly by patients and controls (87.5% vs 91%; p>0.999), although joint pain was observed in only 2 (7%) patients. Regular sexual intercourse (>or=once/week) was reported by 78% of patients and 62% of controls (p=0.86). Joint pain during intercourse was more frequent in patients (48% vs 3% in controls; p<0.001). The mean HAQ score was higher in the 12 patients with joint pain (hips=3, knees=5, and hips+knees=4) during intercourse compared to the 13 patients without joint pain (1.82+/-0.27 vs 1.43+/-0.32; p<0.05). Preserved desire and satisfaction were universal findings for all JIA patients and controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The MSEQ was applicable to this cohort of male patients with RF-negative polyarticular JIA and showed that sexual life is preserved despite longterm disease, morbidity/functional dysfunction, and joint pain.
Faculdade de Medicina, Disciplina de Reumatologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo 455, sala 3133, São Paulo, SP, Brzsil 01246-903.
Lilian
L
de Avila Lima Souza
Andrea Lopes
AL
Gallinaro
Carmita Helena Najjar
CH
Abdo
Sérgio Candido
SC
Kowalski
Ricardo Maisse
RM
Suehiro
Clóvis Artur Almeida
CA
da Silva
Cláudia
C
Goldenstein-Schainberg
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult