Sexual desire in women with fibromyalgia: beyond the pain?

IF 3.3 3区医学 Q1 UROLOGY & NEPHROLOGY

Journal of Sexual Medicine Pub Date : 2025-05-28 DOI:10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf123

Ana M Cuevas-Toro, Carmen Díaz-Batanero, María Del Mar Sánchez-Fuentes

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Abstract

Background: Women with fibromyalgia often experience sexual dysfunction, particularly reduced sexual desire, but few studies have used specific measures, such as the Sexual Desire Inventory, to assess this, and the predictors of sexual desire in these women remain unclear.

Aim: This study aimed to analyze sexual desire in Spanish women diagnosed with fibromyalgia (fibromyalgia group, FG) and in a control group (CG) of healthy women and to examine the predictors (age, symptoms duration, time since diagnosis, severity of fibromyalgia, antidepressant drugs, depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms) of sexual desire in the FG.

Methods: The sample consisted of 81 women divided into 2 groups FG (n = 46) and CG (n = 35). The average age was 47.23 years (SD = 9.22) for the FG and 46.14 years (SD = 9.52) for the CG.

Outcomes: The main outcome measures were sexual desire, as assessed through the Sexual Desire Inventory, severity of fibromyalgia (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire) and anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale).

Results: Women in the FG had lower sexual desire than those in the CG. Age, time since diagnosis, and depression were associated with different dimensions of sexual desire. In contrast, fibromyalgia severity, anxiety, and months using SSRIs were not linked to any dimensions of sexual desire. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that age, time since of FM diagnosis, and depression predicted global sexual desire, accounting for 30% of its variance.

Clinical implications: Assessing sexual desire and addressing depressive symptoms early in women with fibromyalgia is essential for improving their sexual health.

Strengths and limitations: This is the first study to assess different dimensions of sexual desire, including sexual desire for an attractive person, while simultaneously examining key factors associated with sexual desire in women with fibromyalgia. However, the sample size is relatively small, and the study lacks a longitudinal design.

Conclusion: Women with FG have lower sexual desire than healthy women, primarily due to age, time since diagnosis, and depressive symptoms.

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纤维肌痛女性的性欲：超越疼痛？

背景：患有纤维肌痛的女性通常会经历性功能障碍，尤其是性欲下降，但很少有研究使用具体的测量方法，如性欲量表来评估这一点，并且这些女性的性欲预测因素仍不清楚。目的：本研究旨在分析诊断为纤维肌痛的西班牙妇女（纤维肌痛组，FG）和健康妇女的对照组（CG）的性欲，并检查FG中性欲的预测因素（年龄、症状持续时间、诊断后时间、纤维肌痛的严重程度、抗抑郁药物、抑郁症状和焦虑症状）。方法：81例女性分为FG组（n = 46）和CG组（n = 35）。FG组平均年龄为47.23岁（SD = 9.22）， CG组平均年龄为46.14岁（SD = 9.52）。结果：主要结果测量是性欲，通过性欲量表、纤维肌痛严重程度（纤维肌痛影响问卷）和焦虑和抑郁（医院焦虑和抑郁量表）进行评估。结果：FG组女性性欲低于CG组。年龄、诊断后的时间和抑郁程度与性欲的不同维度有关。相比之下，纤维肌痛的严重程度、焦虑程度和服用SSRIs的月份与性欲的任何方面都没有联系。分层多元回归分析显示，年龄、FM诊断时间和抑郁对整体性欲有预测作用，占方差的30%。临床意义：早期评估女性纤维肌痛患者的性欲和处理抑郁症状对改善她们的性健康至关重要。优势和局限性：这是第一个评估性欲不同维度的研究，包括对一个有吸引力的人的性欲，同时检查与纤维肌痛症女性性欲相关的关键因素。然而，样本量相对较小，研究缺乏纵向设计。结论：FG女性性欲低于健康女性，主要与年龄、确诊时间和抑郁症状有关。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Sexual Medicine 医学-泌尿学与肾脏学

CiteScore

6.20

自引率

5.70%

发文量

826

审稿时长

2-4 weeks

期刊介绍： The Journal of Sexual Medicine publishes multidisciplinary basic science and clinical research to define and understand the scientific basis of male, female, and couples sexual function and dysfunction. As an official journal of the International Society for Sexual Medicine and the International Society for the Study of Women''s Sexual Health, it provides healthcare professionals in sexual medicine with essential educational content and promotes the exchange of scientific information generated from experimental and clinical research. The Journal of Sexual Medicine includes basic science and clinical research studies in the psychologic and biologic aspects of male, female, and couples sexual function and dysfunction, and highlights new observations and research, results with innovative treatments and all other topics relevant to clinical sexual medicine. The objective of The Journal of Sexual Medicine is to serve as an interdisciplinary forum to integrate the exchange among disciplines concerned with the whole field of human sexuality. The journal accomplishes this objective by publishing original articles, as well as other scientific and educational documents that support the mission of the International Society for Sexual Medicine.