title: Frequency of sexual dysfunction in women with rheumatic diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in women followed up at the Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic of the Hospital Universitário de Brasília and of the Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo with the following rheumatic diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus; rheumatoid arthritis; systemic sclerosis; antiphospholipid antibody syndrome; and fibromyalgia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Female Sexual Function Index (FSfi), obtained by applying a 19-item questionnaire that assesses six domains (sexual desire, arousal, vaginal lubrication, orgasm, sexual satisfaction and pain), was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study assessed 163 patients. The mean age was 40.4 years. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 18.4%, but 24.2% of the patients reported no sexual activity over the past 4 weeks. Patients with fibromyalgia and systemic sclerosis had the highest sexual dysfunction index (33%). Excluding patients with no sexual activity, the sexual dysfunction rate reaches 24.2%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of sexual dysfunction found in this study was lower than that reported in the literature. However, 24.2% of the patients interviewed reported no sexual activity over the past 4 weeks, which might have contributed to the low sexual dysfunction index found.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Clínica Médica, Hospital das Forças Armadas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Clarissa de Castro
authors.initials: Cde C
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Licia Maria Henrique
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: da Mota
authors.forename: Ana Cristina Vanderley
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Jozélio Freire
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Rodrigo Aires Corrêa
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Cezar Kozak
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Simaan
authors.forename: Francieli de Sousa
authors.initials: Fde S
authors.lastname: Rabelo
authors.forename: José Abrantes
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sarmento
authors.forename: Rafaela Braga
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Leopoldo Luiz Dos
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Santos Neto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires