title: The association of lyme disease with loss of sexual libido and the role of urinary bladder detrusor dysfunction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The primary aim was to carry out a pilot study to compare the loss of sexual libido between a group of Lyme disease patients and a group of matched controls. The secondary aim was to evaluate whether loss of libido in Lyme disease patients is associated with urinary bladder detrusor dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 16 serologically positive Lyme disease patients and 18 controls were queried directly about loss of libido.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2 groups were matched with respect to age, sex, body mass index, and mean arterial blood pressure. None of the 34 subjects was taking medication that might affect sexual libido or had undergone a previous operative procedure involving the genitourinary tract. Of the 16 Lyme disease patients, 8 (50%) had no loss of libido, and of the 18 controls, none had loss of libido (P<0.001). In the Lyme disease patient group, there was no statistically significant relationship between loss of libido and urinary bladder detrusor dysfunction (P=0.61).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study suggested an association between Lyme disease and loss of libido. Moreover, this loss of libido did not seem to be associated with urinary bladder detrusor dysfunction. Given these results, we recommend further studies to confirm the association.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Basant K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Puri
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Breakspear Medical Group, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: Mussadiq
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK. ; Department of Neuroscience, Breakspear Medical Group, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK. ; National Rett Center, Frösön, Sweden.
authors.forename: Peter O O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Julu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Breakspear Medical Group, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: Michele C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kingston
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Breakspear Medical Group, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: Jean A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Monro
keywords: Lyme disease; Neurogenic urinary bladder; Sexual libido; Urinary bladder