Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Sexual dysfunction in Behçet’s syndrome

  • Systematic Review
  • Published:
Rheumatology International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Behçet’s syndrome (BS) is an autoimmune, rare, and severe multisystemic inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, genital ulcers, skin lesions, and both anterior and posterior uveitis; articular, vascular, gastroenteric and neurological involvement may also occur. The multi-organ involvement and the wide range of clinical spectrum make the diagnosis of BS challenging. As other systemic chronic diseases, BS can affect all aspects of patients’ life, including sexual dysfunction (SD). So far, SD has been deeply studied among patients affected by many rheumatic diseases; however, little is known about the prevalence and the characteristics of SD among BS patients. The present work was aimed at providing a systematic literature review of the literature published on SD and BS. We carried out a systematic search in PubMed and Scopus based on controlled terms (MeSH) and keywords to identify literature data on SD in BS. The systematic search was independently performed by two clinicians based on the controlled medical subject heading terms for Behcet syndrome and SD. Systematic database search identified 32 records. Screening by title and abstract was then conducted and a total of 10 articles were eligible for full text assessment, five studies explored SD in male patients with BS, 3 studies in females and 2 works reported data on both genders. Globally, the systematic literature review results have underlined that SD seems frequent in BS patients. Both female and male patients experienced a significant correlation between SD and depression. The studies investigating sexuality in BS seem to demonstrate that in these patients SD may be mainly related to depression rather than to active organic manifestations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

(Adapted from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement)

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Almeida PH, Castro Ferreira C, Kurizky PS, Muniz LF, Mota LM (2015) How the rheumatologist can guide the patient with rheumatoid arthritis on sexual function. Rev Bras Reumatol 55(5):458–463

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Anyfanti P, Pyrpasopoulou A, Triantafyllou A, Triantafyllou G, Gavriilaki E, Chatzimichailidou S, Gkaliagkousi E, Petidis K, Aslanidis S, Douma S (2014) Association between mental health disorders and sexual dysfunction in patients suffering from rheumatic diseases. J Sex Med 11(11):2653–2660

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Østensen M (2017) Sexual and reproductive health in rheumatic disease. Nat Rev Rheumatol 13(8):485–493

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Tristano AG (2009) The impact of rheumatic diseases on sexual function. Rheumatol Int 29(8):853–860

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Hatemi G, Seyahi E, Fresko I, Talarico R, Hamuryudan V (2018) One year in review 2018: Behçet’s syndrome. Clin Exp Rheumatol 36(6 Suppl 115):13–27

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Hatemi G, Seyahi E, Fresko I, Talarico R, Hamuryudan V (2017) One year in review 2017: Behçet’s syndrome. Clin Exp Rheumatol 35(Suppl 108):3–15

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Talarico R, Cantarini L, d’Ascanio A, Figus M, Favati B, Baldini C, Tani C, Neri R, Bombardieri S, Mosca M (2016) Development of de novo major involvement during follow-up in Behçet’s syndrome. Clin Rheumatol 35(1):247–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Greco A, De Virgilio A, Ralli M, Ciofalo A, Mancini P, Attanasio G, de Vincentiis M, Lambiase A (2018) Behçet’s disease: new insights into pathophysiology, clinical features and treatment options. Autoimmun Rev 17(6):567–575

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Talarico R, d’Ascanio A, Figus M, Stagnaro C, Ferrari C, Elefante E, Baldini C, Tani C, Mosca M, Bombardieri S (2012) Behçet’s disease: features of neurological involvement in a dedicated centre in Italy. Clin Exp Rheumatol 30(3 Suppl 72):S69–S72

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Talarico R, Palagini L, d’Ascanio A, Elefante E, Ferrari C, Stagnaro C, Tani C, Gemignani A, Mauri M, Bombardieri S, Mosca M (2015) Epidemiology and management of neuropsychiatric disorders in Behçet’s syndrome. CNS Drugs 29(3):189–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Saygin C, Uzunaslan D, Hatemi G, Hamuryudan V (2015) Suicidal ideation among patients with Behçet’s syndrome. Clin Exp Rheumatol 33(6 Suppl 94):S30–S35

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Gül IG, Kartalcı Ş, Cumurcu BE, Karıncaoğlu Y, Yoloğlu S, Karlıdağ R (2013) Evaluation of sexual function in patients presenting with Behçet’s disease with or without depression. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 27(10):1244–1251

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Yıldız M, Batmaz Í, Sula B, Uçmak D, Sarıyıldız MA, Dağgülli M, Türkçü F, Karakoç M (2016) Sexual dysfunction in male patients with Behçet’s disease. Acta Reumatol Port 41(1):56–61

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Hiz O, Ediz L, Gülcü E, Tekeoglu I (2011) Effects of Behçet’s disease on sexual function and psychological status of male patients. J Sex Med 8(5):1426–1433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Yetkin DO, Celik O, Hatemi G, Kadioglu P (2013) Sexual dysfunction and depression in premenopausal women with mucocutaneous Behçet’s disease. Int J Rheum Dis 16(4):463–468

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Koçak M, Başar MM, Vahapoğlu G, Mert HC, Güngör S (2009) The effect of Behçet’s disease on sexual function and psychiatric status of premenopausal women. J Sex Med 6(5):1341–1348

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Erturan I, Atay IM, Oksay T, Yürekli VA, Demirdas A, Ceyhan AM, Argun OO, Güzel A (2014) Evaluation of sexual functions in female Behçet’s patients. Turk Dermatol Derg 8(2):79–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Özdemir L, Kalyoncu U, Akdemir N (2010) The evaluation of sexual problems and influencing factors in Behçet’s disease. Trakya Univ Tip Fakultesi Derg 27(3):238–242

    Google Scholar 

  19. Erdoğru T, Koçak T, Serdaroğlu P, Kadioğlu A, Tellaloğlu S (1999) Evaluation and therapeutic approaches of voiding and erectile dysfunction in neurological Behçet’s syndrome. J Urol 162(1):147–153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Aksu K, Keser G, Günaydin G, Ozbek SS, Colakoğlu Z, Gümüşdiş G, Doganavşargil E (2000) Erectile dysfunction in Behçet’s disease without neurological involvement: two case reports. Rheumatology (Oxford) 39(12):1429–1431

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Taylan A, Birlik M (2018) Parenchymal neuro-Behçet disease with erectile dysfunction and micturition disturbances: case report and literature review. Rheumatol Int 38(1):149–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Talarico R, Palagini L, Elefante E, Ferro F, Tani C, Gemignani A, Bombardieri S, Mosca M (2018) Behçet’s syndrome and psychiatric involvement: is it a primary or secondary feature of the disease? Clin Exp Rheumatol 36(6 Suppl 115):125–128

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Senusi AA, Liu J, Bevec D, Bergmeier LA, Stanford M, Kidd D, Jawad A, Higgins S, Fortune F (2018) Why are Behçet’s disease patients always exhausted? Clin Exp Rheumatol 36(6 Suppl 115):53–62

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Nahata L, Ziniel SI, Garvey KC, Yu RN, Cohen LE (2017) Fertility and sexual function: a gap in training in pediatric endocrinology. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 30:3–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Diana Marinello and Simone Ticciati for providing support during several phases of the manuscript preparation and to Chiara Cioni for data management.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

RT: Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work, drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content, final approval of the version to be published, agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. Email: sara.talarico76@gmail.com. EE: Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work, drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content, final approval of the version to be published. Email: elena.elefante87@gmail.com. AP: Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work, drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content, final approval of the version to be published. Email: alice.parma85@gmail.com. FT: Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work, drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content, final approval of the version to be published. Email: fabiotaponeco@hotmail.com. TS: Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work, drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content, final approval of the version to be published. Email: tommaso.simoncini@med.unipi.it. MM: Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work, drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content, final approval of the version to be published. Email: marta.mosca@med.unipi.it.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rosaria Talarico.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Talarico, R., Elefante, E., Parma, A. et al. Sexual dysfunction in Behçet’s syndrome. Rheumatol Int 40, 9–15 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-019-04455-w

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-019-04455-w

Keywords

Navigation