Female sexual function and depressive symptoms among premenopausal females on hemodialysis

Abstract

Background Premenopausal female Patient treated with hemodialysis experience various physical and emotional symptoms that impair their quality of life. Studies demonstrating sexual dysfunction (SD) among those patients are limited and there is no consensus about the relation of SD with the prevalence of depressive symptoms among them.Objective: The study aims to understand the association of hemodialysis with SD as well as depression and to examine whether SD is a risk factor of depression among those patients.Patients and Methods: 82 premenopausal sexually active married females on hemodialysis were enrolled in the study. History taking, general and genital examination were performed. Sexual function was evaluated using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. Depressive symptomswere assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CESD) scale. SD was studied as an independent predictor of depression.Results: OF all enrolled patients, 56 (68.3%) had SD while 25 (30.5%) had depression. Patients with SD had significant higher mean age, illiteracy rate, mean duration of marriage and mean duration of dialysis. Patients with SD had significant higher depressive symptoms in comparison to patients without SD.Conclusion: SD is highly prevalent in premenopausal females undergoing hemodialysis. Age, Literacy, duration of marriage, and duration of dialysis might be risk factors of SD among them. SD might be a predictor of depression among those patients.