Sexual dysfunction prevalent in women with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Many women with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) with a mild functional impairment suffer from sexual dysfunction, a recent study claims.

A group of researchers conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study in women diagnosed with PAH at pulmonary circulation outpatient clinics from January 2022 to March 2023. They assessed outcomes using the Female Sexual Function Index, the 36-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, and the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short Form Survey.

Ninety-one female patients were included in the analysis. Of these, 90.1 percent had sexual dysfunction, with poor scores in the domains of satisfaction, arousal, and desire, as well as average health functionality and quality of life.

Notably, the domains of mobility, getting along, life activities, and the overall functionality score showed significant associations with some domains of sexual function, particularly arousal and satisfaction.

“We found significant correlations between some domains of quality-of-life assessment with the domains of desire, arousal, and satisfaction, and with the overall score of sexual function assessment, as well as strong correlations between health functionality and quality of life,” the researchers said.

“The data reinforce the need for rehabilitation programs and social support for this population,” they added.

The study had limitations in data collection, which led to the exclusion of certain factors, such as hormone levels and history of sexual abuse, from the analysis.