Sexual function and distress in women treated for primary headaches in a tertiary university center.
BACKGROUND
Primary headaches are common in women and impact on their quality of life and psychosocial functioning. Few data are available on sexuality in female headache sufferers.


OBJECTIVE
An observational pilot study was conducted to assess sexual function and distress in women treated for primary headaches in a tertiary university center.


METHODS
From a total of 194 women consecutively observed over a 3-month period, 100 patients were recruited. Migraine with and without aura, and tension-type headache, both episodic and chronic (CTTH), were diagnosed according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders. A detailed pharmacological history was collected, and anxiety and depression were assessed using validated scales. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised were administered.


METHODS
The main outcome measures are sexual symptoms and distress in women treated for primary headaches.


RESULTS
More than 90% of the women had a median FSFI full-scale score under the validated cutoff, while 29% reported sexual distress. Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) was diagnosed in 20% of the women and the pain domain score (median 2, score range 0-6) was highly affected by the head pain condition. However, the FSFI domain and full-scale scores did not significantly differ by headache diagnosis. The women with CTTH displayed a high rate of sexual distress (45.5%) and a strong negative correlation between desire, arousal, and full-scale FSFI score and number analgesics/month (r: -0.77, P=0.006; r: -0.76, P=0.006; and r: -0.68, P=0.02, respectively). Depression was positively correlated with sexual distress (r: 0.63, P=0.001) only in the women with CTTH.


CONCLUSIONS
Women treated for primary headaches were found to display a high rate of sexual symptoms and distress. Both migraine and tension-type headache were associated with sexual pain and HSDD, but women with CTTH seem to be more prone to develop sexual distress.
Research Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Section of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS S. Matteo Foundation, Department of Morphological, Eidological and Clinical Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. renappi@tin.it
Rossella E
RE
Nappi
Erica
E
Terreno
Cristina
C
Tassorelli
Grazia
G
Sances
Marta
M
Allena
Elena
E
Guaschino
Fabio
F
Antonaci
Francesca
F
Albani
Franco
F
Polatti
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000150:complications*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult