Sexual function and pelvic floor function in men with systemic sclerosis compared to healthy controls: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives

This cross-sectional study aimed to compare the sexual function (SF) and pelvic floor function of men with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with age-matched healthy controls (HC) and to identify the implications of clinical features on SF.

Material and method

Twenty SSc males and 20 HC aged 18–70 years completed eleven questionnaires assessing SF [International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), Male Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ)]; sexual quality of life: Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire-Male (SQoL-M); pelvic floor function: Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-Short Form 7 (PFIQ-7), fatigue, depression, physical fitness, functional disability, and quality of life. Clinical data were collected.

Results

Significantly worse SF was observed in patients (median IIEF erectile function 12 in SSc versus 29 in HC, p < 0.001), with 70% reporting erectile dysfunction (ED) compared to 15% in HC. However, no significant difference was observed regarding pelvic floor function (median PFIQ7 8.8 in SSc versus 7.0 in HC, p = 0.141). Impaired SF was associated with higher disease activity, increased systemic inflammation, more pronounced fatigue, reduced physical fitness, severe depression, impaired overall quality of life, dyspepsia, and arthralgias (p < 0.05 for all).

Conclusions

Sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent in our SSc patients, whereas pelvic floor dysfunction is unlikely to be associated with these problems.

Keywords:

• Male sexual function
• erectile dysfunction
• systemic sclerosis
• pelvic floor function
• sexual health

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all patients and HC who participated in the study and Xiao Švec for language editing.

Informed consent statement

Patients provided informed written consent before the enrolment to the study.

Institutional review board statement

All relevant study documentation and amendments were approved by the independent Ethics Committee of the Institute of Rheumatology in Prague with reference number 10458/2017. It was conducted following the principles outlined in the declaration of Helsinki, the Guidelines of the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) on Good Clinical Practise (GCP) Guideline E6 (R2) (EMA/CPMP/ICH/135/95) European Union (EU) Directive 95/46/EC, and other applicable regulatory requirements.

Data deposition

Data used in the study will not be shared openly.

Author’s contributions

M.T. and B.H. designed the study. S.O., B.H., M.T., M.Š., H.Š., L.Š., R.B., K.P., and J.V. collected patients’ data. M.K. and B.H. performed the statistical analysis. B.H. and M.T. prepared the original draft of the manuscript. All authors critically interpreted the results, reviewed the drafts, and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statement

Individual anonymized participant data will not be shared. Pooled study data, protocol, or statistical analysis plan can be shared upon request at [email protected].

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic [023728], Ministry of Education Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic [SVV 260638], and the Charles University Grant Agency [GAUK 1578119].