Alexithymia, Depressive Traits, Patients Suffering from Bladder Exstrophy Complex - Epispadias Sex-Life Versus Individuals not Suffering from Uro-Genital Malformations

Objective: The EEC exstrophy-epispadias complex represents a spectrum of malformations with an incidence of 1/35,000 live births occurring at varying degrees of bladder exstrophy and anatomical-functional alterations of the external genitalia. The appearance of the psycho sexual development has a significant role on the growth of an independent adult self. To compare the presence of alexithymia or depressive traits, difficulties in sexual assertiveness and / or in sex-lives and the life quality in people with EEC with a cohort consisting of unaffected peers. Design and Method: The retrospective case-control observational study included a cohort of EEC cases and a cohort of control groups of subjects not suffering from any urogenital malformation. The criteria for inclusion of cases: confirmed diagnosis of EEC, age>16 years; sex M-F; completion of informed consent and privacy forms. The inclusion criteria of the controls: the absence of any urogenital malformation, age>16; sex M-F; completion of informed consent and privacy forms. The following questionnaires were administered to 35 cases and 35 controls: BDI-II, TAS-20, SF-36, SHF, SAQ. Results: A significant presence of alexitmia and depressive traits has been highlighted in the case cohort. The life quality in the cases score lower in both physical health and mental health compared to the control cohort; while the sex life experiences of the EEC cases significantly differ from the controls also in terms of sexual assertiveness in all four sub-cases Conclusions: The findings raise awareness on the implementation of interventions aimed at improving the verbalization of emotions, the support of depressive discomfort, and sexual assertiveness.