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. 2019 Mar 7;8(3):321.
doi: 10.3390/jcm8030321.

Sexual Dysfunction and Quality of Life in Chronic Heroin-Dependent Individuals on Methadone Maintenance Treatment

Carlos Llanes  1 , Ana I Álvarez  2 , M Teresa Pastor  3 , M Ángeles Garzón  4 , Nerea González-García  5 , Ángel L Montejo  6
Affiliations

Sexual Dysfunction and Quality of Life in Chronic Heroin-Dependent Individuals on Methadone Maintenance Treatment

Carlos Llanes et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

This study examined whether methadone (hereinafter referred to as MTD) maintenance treatment (MMT) is correlated with sexual dysfunction (SD) in heroin-dependent men. This was conducted to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and if there is a relationship between duration and dose among men on MMT and its impact on the quality of life. The study combined a retrospective and a cross-sectional survey based on the Kinsey Scale, TECVASP, and PRSexDQ-SALSEX clinical interviews of 85 patients who are currently engaged in MMT. Sexual dysfunction in all five PRSexDQ-SALSEX domains (lack of libido, delay in orgasm, inability to orgasm, erectile dysfunction, and tolerance or acceptance of changes in sexual function) was associated with dose and long-term use of heroin. All dimensions of SD were affected by the MTD intake. From the analysis of our sample, we may conclude that dose of MTD and overall score of SD were directly associated. However, no evidence was found to prove that treatment duration and severity of SD were linked. It is notable that only one tenth of the patients spontaneously reported their symptoms of the sexual sphere, but up to a third considered leaving the MMT for this reason.

Keywords: adverse effects; erectile dysfunction; medication adherence; methadone; opioid-related disorders.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure A1
Figure A1
Difference between men and women in SALSEX total score. The ° symbol represents an outlier and the * symbol corresponds to extreme value.
Figure A2
Figure A2
CFA graphical representations of the categories of two qualitative variables: (a) Tolerance to MTD (red) vs severity of SD (blue) of patients that only use MTD; (b) tolerance to MTD (red) vs severity of SD (blue) of patients that use MTD and benzodiazepines; (c) dose of MTD (green) vs severity of SD (blue) of patients that only use MTD; (d) dose of MTD (green) vs severity of SD (blue) that use MTD and benzodiazepines.
Figure A3
Figure A3
Quality of life based on SALSEX classes (no SD, mild SD, moderate SD, and severe SD).
Figure 1
Figure 1
Differences in Kinsey questionnaire items, distinguished by the four SD classes of SALSEX.
Figure 2
Figure 2
CFA graphical representations of the categories of two qualitative variables: (a) Tolerance to MTD (red) vs severity of SD (blue); (b) dose of MTD (green) vs severity of SD (blue).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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