ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Sexual function, psychosocial status and quality of life (QoL) are important dimensions, often underestimated, in dialysis treatment schedules. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and its associations, among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. METHODS: The Index of Female Sexual Function (IFSF), the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Quality of Life EQ5D questionnaires were applied to a prevalent PD population of 57 enrolled patients. Multivariate analysis was conducted to investigate clinical independent risk factors for sexual dysfunction. RESULTS: Sexual dysfunction was diagnosed in 67.9% of women and 44.8% of men. In females, serum albumin, creatinine and phosphorus levels and EQ5D positively correlated with IFSF score. For males, there was a significant negative correlation between serum calcium levels and the IIEF score. On multivariate analysis, nutritional parameters remained independently associated with sexual dysfunction in women; in males, increase in calcium concentration and decrease of testosterone were main determinants. On logistic regression analysis, the risk of sexual dysfunction in global population was associated with lower values of albumin (OR=6.94) and with a lower QoL score EQ5D (OR=6.93). CONCLUSIONS: Sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent and strongly associated with impaired QoL of PD patients. Different clinical variables were related to sexual dysfunction in each gender, justifying an individualized preventive and therapeutic approaches.
