Evaluation of sexual function in women with rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the link between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and female sexual functioning.


METHODS
A total of 32 women with RA and 20 healthy age matched controls were enrolled in this study. The participations are asked to complete Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), The Short form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)questionnaires.


RESULTS
The groups were comparable in terms of demographic characteristics. The women with RA represented significantly worse sexual functioning in category of desire, arousal, lubrication,orgasm, satisfaction domain and total FSFI score compared with healthy women (P = .0001, P = .0001, P = .0001, P = .0001, P = .022 and P = .0001, respectively). The mean BDI scores for the patients with RA were greater than control group (P = .036). Women with RA also had significantly lower quality of life (QoL) parameters: physical functioning, limitations due to physical health, pain, general health, vitality and limitations due to emotional problems compared with healthy women (P = .0001, P = .0001, P = .028, P = .002, P = .001 and P = .0001, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The present study shows that a significant percent of patients with RA had sexual dysfunction and also deterioration in QoL.
Department of Urology,Inegöl Hospital. drburhancoskun@yahoo.co.uk.
Burhan
B
Coskun
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey.
Belkis Nihan
BN
Coskun
Department of Urology, GöztepeTraining and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Gokhan
G
Atis
Department of Urology, ŞişliTraining and Research Hospital,Istanbul, Turkey.
Erbil
E
Ergenekon
Department of Rheumatology,School of Medicine, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey.
Kamil
K
Dilek
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009948:Orgasm; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D019529:Sexuality / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires