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. 2011 Mar;77(3):576-80.
doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2010.10.016. Epub 2011 Jan 7.

Prevalence and correlates of sexual dysfunction among women with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis

Laura M Bogart  1 , Marika J Suttorp, Marc N Elliott, J Quentin Clemens, Sandra H Berry
Affiliations

Prevalence and correlates of sexual dysfunction among women with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis

Laura M Bogart et al. Urology. 2011 Mar.

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the prevalence and correlates of general and bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC)-specific sexual dysfunction among women in the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology study using a probability sample survey of U.S. households. Sexual dysfunction can contribute to a reduced quality of life for women with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC).

Methods: We telephoned 146,231 households to identify women who reported bladder symptoms or a BPS/IC diagnosis. Those who reported either underwent a second-stage screening using the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology study high-specificity symptom criteria. The criteria were pain, pressure, or discomfort in pelvic area; daytime urinary frequency ≥10 times or urgency due to pain, pressure, or discomfort (not fear of wetting); pain that worsened as the bladder filled; bladder symptoms did not resolve after antibiotic treatment; and patients never treated with hormone injections for endometriosis. Women who met the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology criteria (n = 1469) completed measures of BPS/IC-specific and general sexual dysfunction symptoms, bladder symptom severity, general physical health, depression, medical care-seeking, and sociodemographic characteristics.

Results: Of those with a current sexual partner (75%), 88% reported ≥1 general sexual dysfunction symptom and 90% reported ≥1 BPS/IC-specific sexual dysfunction symptom in the past 4 weeks. In the multivariate models, BPS/IC-specific sexual dysfunction was significantly associated with more severe BPS/IC symptoms, younger age, worse depression symptoms, and worse perceived general health. Multivariate correlates of general sexual dysfunction included non-Latino race/ethnicity, being married, and having depression symptoms.

Conclusions: The results of our study have shown that women with BPS/IC symptoms experience very high levels of sexual dysfunction. Also, sexual dysfunction covaries with symptoms.

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References

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