ORIGINAL ARTICLE   Free access

Italian Journal of Dermatology and Venereology 2022 October;157(5):432-5

DOI: 10.23736/S2784-8671.21.07128-0

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Does psoriasis influence female sexual dysfunction? A multicentric Italian case-control study

Federico BARDAZZI ¹, Valeria EVANGELISTA ¹ ✉, Francesca FERRARA ¹, Giulia ODORICI ², Aurora PARODI ³, Andrea CONTI ², Martina BURLANDO ³, Ambra DI ALTOBRANDO ¹, Annalisa PATRIZI ¹

¹ Unit of Dermatology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), IRCCS Policlinico Sant’Orsola, Alma Mater Studiorum University, Bologna, Italy; ² Department of Dermatology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; ³ Section of Dermatology, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), IRCCS San Martino University Hospital, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis has a significant impact on quality of life and affects the sexual sphere in 25-70% of patients. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in female patients with psoriasis and to assess the possible correlation of sexual dysfunction with disease severity, genital involvement, age and some comorbidities.
METHODS: In this prospective case-control study, all female patients with psoriasis followed at three Psoriasis Outpatient Services were divided into two groups depending on psoriasis severity assessed by the Psoriasis Area Severity Index. Both psoriatic patients and female controls without psoriasis were given the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire.
RESULTS: One hundred forty female patients with psoriasis were evaluated, 70 with mild disease and 70 with moderate-severe disease, and compared with 70 female controls without psoriasis. According to FSFI Score, prevalence of sexual dysfunctions was significantly higher in moderate-severe psoriatic patients compared to controls. Psoriatic women under the age of 46 presented lower FSFI scores than women over 46. No correlation between genital localization of psoriasis and worsening of sexual health was found. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension were significantly associated with sexual dysfunction, whereas the smoking habit did not significantly affect the sexual sphere of these patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Sexual dysfunction should be routinely investigated in female patients with psoriasis in the case of moderate-severe disease due to its negative impact on quality of life, especially in younger women and in presence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

KEY WORDS: Sexual dysfunction, physiological; Psoriasis; Quality of life