Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that gives rise to sexual problems for the majority of affected patients. All former investigations involve patients with a variable mean disablement, and because of this, they are not comparable. Our investigation covers 117 patients, representatively chosen among all patients having MS, admitted to the Department of Neurology, Odense University Hospital in the period January 1, 1973–December 31, 1985 (Stenager et al., 1989a). The patients were asked whether they experienced changes in their sexual function after onset of disease. All patients had a neurological examination, and their physical disablement was evaluated using Kurtzke's Disability Status Scale (Kurtzke, 1983). The results were statistically evaluated, and the pattern of covariation was analyzed using a log-linear model for contingency table analysis. Sixty-five patients (55%) had experienced changes in their sexual function after onset of the disease. No statistically significant correlation between sex, age, and sexual dysfunction has been found, but we found a significant relation between sexual dysfunction and disablement. A trend toward greater sexual problems was seen among men under 45 years and women over 45 years.
