title: [Influence of menopausal symptoms on sexual function in middle-aged women].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the influence of climacteric symptoms on the sexual function in middle-aged women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional population study was conducted on a sample of 370 middle-aged women, aged 40 to 65 years-old, cared for at the Basic Health Units in Natal, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. We used a questionnaire containing questions on sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral characteristics. Sexual function was evaluated by the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), while the menopause symptoms by the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the studied group, 67% of the women reported risk for sexual dysfunction (FSFI≤26.5). All FSFI domains (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain) were lower in women with risk for sexual dysfunction (p<0.001). The arousal, orgasm, and pain domains were most likely to contribute to lower FSFI scores. All somatovegetative, urogenital, and psychological MRS symptoms were more elevated in women with risk for sexual dysfunction, being significant for all comparisons (p<0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the likelihood of women with risks of sexual dysfunction to present hot flushes, depression, sexual problems, and vaginal dryness was, respectively, 2.1 (95%CI 1.2 - 3.5); 2.4 (95%CI 1.5 - 4.1); 2.3 (95%CI 1.4 - 3.8), and 2.2 (95%CI 1.3 - 3.6) times higher, respectively, compared to those without any risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Climacteric symptoms seem to influence the sexual function in middle-aged women.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brasil.
authors.forename: Patrícia Uchôa Leitão
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.forename: Ana Carla Gomes
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Canário
authors.forename: Maria Helena Constantino
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Spyrides
authors.forename: Severina Alice da Costa
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Uchôa
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eleutério
authors.forename: Rose Luce Gomes
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.forename: Ana Katherine da Silveira
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology*