No association between hormonal abnormality and sexual dysfunction in Japanese schizophrenia patients treated with antipsychotics

Objective Although sexual dysfunction is believed to be caused by hormonal abnormalities, few reports have studied sexual dysfunction and its association with hormonal abnormalities in Asian populations with schizophrenia. Methods We employed a cross-sectional, case–control survey design to collect data from 191 (108 men) Japanese schizophrenia outpatients treated with antipsychotics and 182 (49 men) healthy subjects. Sexual dysfunction was evaluated using the Udvalg for Kliniske Undersogelser (UKU) Side Effect Rating Scale. We measured plasma concentrations of prolactin in both genders and testosterone in men and estradiol in women. Results Multiple regression analyses revealed the following findings: the number of antipsychotics correlated with diminished sexual desire (standardized beta = 0.241, p