Sex and the veins. A cross-sectional analysis on sexual dysfunction in patients with Chronic Venous Disease
Davide Costa,
Nicola Ielapi,
Umberto Marcello Bracale,
Antonio Peluso,
Roberto Minici,
Michele Andreucci,
Raffaele Serra
Affiliations
Davide Costa
Department of Law, Economics and Sociology, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy; Interuniversity Center of Phlebolymphology (CIFL), International Research and Educational Program in Clinical and Experimental Biotechnology. University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy
Nicola Ielapi
Interuniversity Center of Phlebolymphology (CIFL), International Research and Educational Program in Clinical and Experimental Biotechnology. University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy; Department of Public Health and Infectious Disease, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
Umberto Marcello Bracale
Department of Public Health, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80138, Naples, Italy
Antonio Peluso
Department of Public Health, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80138, Naples, Italy
Roberto Minici
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy
Michele Andreucci
Department of Health Sciences. University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy
Raffaele Serra
Interuniversity Center of Phlebolymphology (CIFL), International Research and Educational Program in Clinical and Experimental Biotechnology. University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences. University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy; Corresponding author. Interuniversity Center of Phlebolymphology (CIFL), International Research and Educational Program in Clinical and Experimental Biotechnology. University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Background: This study aimed to investigate the presence of sexual dysfunction (SD) in patients with Chronic Venous Disease (CVD) and if CVD treatments may have an impact on SD evolution in these patients. Methods: Inclusion criteria were patients of both sexes and genders, with minimum age of 18, with first diagnosis of CVD. Exclusion criteria were presence of known sexual dysfunction of organic origin, arterial system diseases, malignancies and endocrine system diseases. Included patients were administered the ASEX (Arizona Sexual Experience) questionnaire that was administered at the moment of study inclusion (T0), and for patients that resulted affected from sexual dysfunction, were administered also, after CVD treatments at 6 months (T1) and after 12 months (T2). Results: A total of 649 patients with CVD were recruited. After the administration of the ASEX questionnaire, 122 patients (18.8 %) resulted affected from SD. Female sex, C3–C6 clinical stages, and the presence of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), hypertension, and hyperlipidemia were more associated with the presence of SD. SD improved in all patients’ population, especially after CVD treatment at T2. Conclusions: CVD patients may experience SD, especially in female sex, in more advanced disease stages. SD in CVD patients appears to improve after adequate CVD treatment.
