Sexual and relationship functioning before and after renal transplantation: a descriptive study with patients and partners.
OBJECTIVE
Many patients experience problems with sexual functioning after renal transplantation (RTx). Research on the sexual functioning of the partners of those patients and the consequences for relationship satisfaction and quality of life is lacking. This study sought to explore changes in sexual and relationship functioning from before to after RTx in patients and their partners.


METHODS
Twenty-nine patients (mean ± SD age 53.4 ± 14.2 years) and 13 partners (age 57.1 ± 11.6 years) provided data 12-15 months after RTx. They retrospectively evaluated sexual and relationship functioning as well as general life satisfaction before RTx and, in comparison, in the most recent months.


RESULTS
Among the patients, most items on sexual experience indicated deterioration in sexual functioning. Among their partners, the wish for sexual activity with the patient and the actual frequency of sexual activity decreased from before to after RTx. The rate of partners indicating high personal importance for intercourse decreased from 83.3% to 69.2%, as did the rate of partners stating high sexual satisfaction (from 63.6% to 41.7%). Despite these trends, most patients and partners reported high relationship and life satisfaction after RTx.


CONCLUSIONS
Partners of patients who had received a kidney transplant seem to be affected by negative changes in the patients' sexual functioning. Nonetheless, many couples maintain high relationship and life satisfaction.
Departments of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
Matthias Claudius
MC
Raggi
Stephanie Barbara
SB
Siebert
Helmut
H
Friess
Elisabeth
E
Schremmer-Danninger
Stefan
S
Thorban
Andreas
A
Dinkel
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires