title: Female sexual dysfunction among Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic hepatitis C is associated with many extrahepatic manifestations that impact and impair the quality of life. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has a high prevalence in Egypt and carries with the diagnosis many social impacts and stigmatization correlates that further impair social function. This might negatively impact patients and their sexual function. Sexuality and sexual function have not been studied well in patients with HCV, especially in women.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate sexual dysfunction in Egyptian women with chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) scores of patients with hepatitis C, both total and for individual domains, were compared with those of controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The self-administered FSFI questionnaire was completed by 112 sexually active female patients with chronic hepatitis C without liver cirrhosis prior to initiation of therapy by pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Their results were compared to those of 225 age- and socioeconomic class-matched sexually active healthy females.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly more patients than controls had questionnaire scores below the threshold of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) (79% vs. 21%, P < 0.05), and the mean total score for the patients was significantly lower than that for controls (19.54 ± 6.2 vs. 28.43 ± 4.9 P < 0.001). The patients' scores in all domains of the questionnaire were significantly lower than those of the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic hepatitis C negatively impacts female sexual function, affecting all domains of the sex cycle; this warrants further studies and needs to be addressed as part of a comprehensive therapy plan to improve patients' quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Hepatology Department, National Liver Institute, Shebeen El-Kom, Egypt.
authors.forename: Esam
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elshimi
authors.forename: Wesam
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Morad
authors.forename: Noha Ezzat
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Mohamad
authors.forename: Nashwa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shebl
authors.forename: Imam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Waked
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000821:virology*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000821:virology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Egypt; Female Sexual Function Index; HCV; Hepatitis C; Sexual Dysfunction