Postmenopausal sexual function and steroid hormone levels: a hospital-based cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective

Steroid hormone levels, particularly androgens, play an important role in sexual function in premenopausal women, but this relationship is not so well determined after menopause. This study aimed to assess the association between steroid hormone levels and sexual function in postmenopausal women.

Methods

A total of 84 postmenopausal women with intact ovaries, who had never used systemic hormone therapy, were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Sexual function was assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire and serum levels of steroid hormones were quantified by gas chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Associations between estradiol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, androstenedione and FSFI domain scores were evaluated.

Results

After adjustment for confounding variables, the analysis revealed a statistically significant association between androstenedione and overall sexual function (β = 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.37; 1.98], p = 0.010), arousal (β = 0.19, 95% CI [0.02; 0.37], p = 0.034), orgasm (β = 0.33, 95% CI [0.15; 0.45], p = 0.001) and satisfaction (β = 0.25, 95% CI [0.11; 0.36], p = 0.001). No associations were found between the other hormones and FSFI domains.

Conclusion

The main finding of this study is the association of androstenedione with sexual function in postmenopausal women, not verified for other steroid hormones. Further studies are necessary to determine the importance of androstenedione for postmenopausal sexual function.

摘要

目的：甾体激素水平, 尤其是雄激素水平在绝经前妇女的性功能中起着重要作用, 但绝经后这种关系尚不清楚。本研究旨在评估绝经后妇女甾体激素水平与性功能之间的关系。

方法：84名绝经后卵巢完整、从未使用过激素治疗的妇女参加了一项横断面研究。用女性性功能指数(FSFI)问卷评估性功能, 用气相色谱和串联质谱仪测定血清甾体激素水平。评估雌二醇、睾酮、脱氢表雄酮、雄烯二酮与FSFI得分之间的关系。

结果：在调整混杂变量后, 分析显示雄烯二酮与总体性功能（β=1.23, 95%可信区间[0.37；1.98], p=0.010）、性唤起(β=0.19, 95%CI[0.02；0.37], p=0.034)、性高潮(β=0.33, 95%CI[0.15；0.45], p=0.001)和满意度(β=0.25, 95%CI[0.11；0.36], p=0.001)有显著统计学关联。没有发现其他激素与FSFI之间有关联。

结论：这项研究的主要发现是雄烯二酮与绝经后妇女的性功能有关, 其他甾体激素没有得到证实。需要进一步的研究来确定雄烯二酮对绝经后性功能的重要性。

Keywords:

• Menopause
• sexual function
• androgens
• estradiol

Potential conflict of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was partially supported by CICS-UBI, which is financed by National Funds from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT); Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) [under the scope of PORTUGAL 2020]; Programa Operacional do Centro (CENTRO 2020) [project reference UIDB/00709/2020].