Frequency Distribution of Female Sexual Dysfunction in Patients with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Referred to University Hospitals and a Private Urology Clinic

Sexual Dysfunction [SD] is a common health problem among women that causes anxiety, interpersonal problems and a low quality of life. On the other hand, lower urinary tract symptoms [LUTS] are common among women, in particular in women suffering from FSD [female sexual dysfunction] although the relation between the two conditions is still unclear. Available data on the effect of LUTS on FSD are limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate the frequency of FSD in women with LUTS who referred to university hospitals [Razi and AL Zahra] and a private urology clinic in Rasht, Iran. In a cross-sectional study, 123 eligible patients suffering from LUTS entered the study. Validated Persian versions of the FSFI [Female sexual function index] and the Bristol questionnaires [BFLUTS] used to assess the participants and the data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. The mean age of women participating in this study was 40.64±6.18 years. FSD was diagnosed in 54.5% of the patients; 78.9% of these patients with FSD reported dysfunction in sexual desire, 78% reported sexual arousal disorder, 54.5% had lubrication disorders, 46.3% complained of orgasmic deficiency, 44.7% had sexual pain disorder and 37.4% had satisfaction voiding disorder. Based on the results, sexual dysfunction was common among women suffering from LUTS and sexual desire was the most frequently affected among FSD domains. In addition, our findings indicated that, contrary to common belief, issues such as the level of education have no significant effect on the frequency of FSD in women, but compared to women with normal sexual function, subjects with FSD were significantly older [P=0.0001].