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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2018; 76(07): 430-435
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X20180061
ARTICLE

Everything you always wanted to know about sex and Neurology: neurological disability and sexuality

Todo lo que siempre quiso saber sobre sexo y Neurologia pero nunca se atrevió a preguntar: estudio sobre discapacidad neurologica y sexualidad
Alejandro Nasimbera
1   Hospital JM Ramos Mejia, División Neurología, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
,
Julieta Rosales
1   Hospital JM Ramos Mejia, División Neurología, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
,
Berenice Silva
2   Hospital JM Ramos Mejia, Clínica Enfermedades Desmielinizantes, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
,
Ricardo Alonso
2   Hospital JM Ramos Mejia, Clínica Enfermedades Desmielinizantes, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
,
Natalia Bohorquez
3   Hospital JM Ramos Mejia, Clínica Enfermedades Cerebrovasculares, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
4   Hospital JM Ramos Mejia, Clínica Enfermedades de Neurona Motora, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
,
Sandra Lepera
3   Hospital JM Ramos Mejia, Clínica Enfermedades Cerebrovasculares, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
,
Nelida Garretto
5   Hospital JM Ramos Mejia, Clínica Movimientos Anormales, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
,
Tomoko Arakaki
5   Hospital JM Ramos Mejia, Clínica Movimientos Anormales, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
,
Orlando Garcea
2   Hospital JM Ramos Mejia, Clínica Enfermedades Desmielinizantes, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
,
Raul Rey
3   Hospital JM Ramos Mejia, Clínica Enfermedades Cerebrovasculares, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
,
Cecilia Quarracino
6   Instituto de Investigaciones Medicas Doctor Alfredo Lanari, División Neurología, Buenos Aires.Argentina
,
Gabriel E. Rodriguez
4   Hospital JM Ramos Mejia, Clínica Enfermedades de Neurona Motora, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
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ABSTRACT

Chronic neurological disorders generate disabilities affecting multiple aspects of life, including sexuality.

Objective To describe the presence of sexual dysfunction and comorbidities in a population with chronic neurological disorders. To analyze the relationship between disability and sexual dysfunction.

Methods A cross-sectional case-control study was carried out. Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and stroke of at least one year since the onset of symptoms were included, and compared with controls with no neurological disease, matched by age and sex.

Results We included 71 participants: 29 controls, with a mean age of 49.4 years, and 42 patients with a mean age of 53.8 years. Sexual dysfunction was present in 22.5% of the controls and 77.5% of the patients. A statistically significant relationship between sexual dysfunction and disability was found in the logistic regression analysis (OR = 20.38, 95%CI: 2.5 –165.86).

Conclusions Disability proved to be the main variable related to the presence of sexual dysfunction. Patients with ALS had the worst rates of sexual dysfunction. Patients with MS were similar to the control group. As for the PD group, no patient had normal sexuality. Finally, in stroke patients, the presence of comorbidities and their treatment may have negatively influenced sexuality. These findings showed that patients with chronic neurological diseases have sexual dysfunction and underscore the need for neurologists to know and address this problem.

RESUMO

Las enfermedades neurológicas crónicas generan discapacidad afectando múltiples aspectos de la vida, incluida la sexual.

Objetivo Describir en una población con enfermedades neurológicas crónicas la presencia de disfunción sexual y posibles comorbilidades acompañantes. Analizar la relación entre discapacidad y disfunción sexual.

Métodos Se realizó un estudio transversal de tipo casos y controles. Se incluyeron pacientes con Esclerosis Lateral Amiotrófica (ELA), Esclerosis Múltiple (EM), enfermedad de Parkinson (EP) y secuelados por enfermedad cerebrovascular (sACV) de al menos un año de evolución, controlando con sujetos sin enfermedad neurológica pareados por edad y sexo.

Resultados Se incluyeron 71 sujetos: 29 controles, con una edad media 49,4 años y 42 casos con una edad media de 53,8 años. Presentaron disfunción sexual el 22,5% de los controles y el 77,5% de los casos. En el análisis por regresión logística se encontró una relación estadísticamente significativamente entre disfunción sexual y discapacidad. (OR = 20.38, IC95%: 2.5–165.86).

Conclusiones La discapacidad demostró ser la principal variable relacionada con la presencia de disfunción sexual. Los enfermos con ELA fueron los que peores índices de disfunción sexual presentaron. Los pacientes con EM se comportaron de forma similar al grupo control. En cuanto al grupo de EP todos los pacientes tuvieron algún trastorno en su sexualidad. Por último, en sACV la presencia de comorbilidades y su tratamiento podrían influir negativamente en la sexualidad. Estos hallazgos evidencian que la disfunción sexual está presente en los pacientes con enfermedades neurológicas crónicas y confirma la necesidad de conocer este problema por parte de los neurólogos.

stroke - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - Parkinson disease - multiple sclerosis - sexuality
accidente cerebrovascular - esclerosis amiotrófica lateral - enfermedad de Parkinson - esclerosis múltiple - sexualidad


Publication History

Received: 13 December 2017

Accepted: 03 April 2018

Article published online:
25 August 2023

© 2023. Academia Brasileira de Neurologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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