title: Male sexual function in presymptomatic gene carriers and patients with Huntington's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report sexual dysfunction in a systematically studied cohort of men with Huntington's disease (HD), and compare them with control men of a similar age.
  
  
  METHODS
  In men with HD and asymptomatic HD gene carriers, the male sexual dysfunction questionnaire (International Index of Erectile Function--IIEF, covering erectile and orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction and overall satisfaction), neurologic assessment using the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) and the Total Functional Capacity (TFC) Score were utilized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Responses were obtained from 23 HD patients and 2 HD gene carriers. HD patients reported more problems with erection, intercourse satisfaction and overall satisfaction (p<0.05) compared to 41 controls. HD patients generally reported reduced sexual desire and performance. Sexual dysfunction progressed in parallel with patients' decline in motor (UHDRS) and TFC, but was not related to patients' age and duration of disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated a significant impact of HD on male sexual function that progressed in parallel with motor and total patient (TFC) dysfunction. Physicians helping HD patients should also consider this largely neglected aspect of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, General Hospital Novo mesto, Slovenia. Electronic address: kolencm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Matej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolenc
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department for Vascular Neurology and Intensive Neurologic Therapy, Division of Neurology, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kobal
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Neurophysiology, Division of Neurology, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Podnar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Autonomic dysfunction; Depression; Deterioration of sexual function; Erection; Huntington's disease; Male sexual dysfunction; Sexual questionnaire; Total functional capacity