Sexual Dysfunction in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IDB) may have higher levels of sexual dysfunction than the general population. We aimed to study the prevalence of sexual disorders in a sample of Brazilian male and female patients with IDB and its association with depression, epidemiological and clinical data. This was a cross sectional study of 192 individuals (40 females with IDB, 40 males with IDB and 112 healthy controls). Male patients and controls answered the IIEF-5 (International Index of Erectile Function-5) and female patients the FSFI (Female Sexual Function Index). Beck Depression Inventory-II was used to access depression. Epidemiological, clinical and treatment data was collected from medical charts. We found that male and female patients with IDB had more sexual dysfunction than controls. Age was the only factor, when considering the various demographics, depression, IDB type, and treatments, that was significantly associated with sexual dysfunction in IBD patients, and this pattern was only detected in males. Taking into account the multi-faceted nature of this disease and how IDB symptoms interfere with sexual functioning, a multidisciplinary approach may be useful to improve the quality of life of patients with IDB.