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. 2024 Jul;14(7):1823-1838.
doi: 10.1007/s13555-024-01196-y. Epub 2024 Jun 13.

Profound Sexual Dysfunction Among Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Cross-sectional Study

Piotr K Krajewski  1 , Alexandra Strobel  2   3 , Michael Schultheis  4 , Petra Staubach  4 , Stephan Grabbe  4 , Katharina Hennig  4 , Lukasz Matusiak  1 , Esther von Stebut  5 , Simone Garcovich  6 , Hans Bayer  7 , Marcus Heise  3   8   9 , Uwe Kirschner  10 , Georgios Nikolakis  11 , Jacek C Szepietowski  12
Affiliations

Profound Sexual Dysfunction Among Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Cross-sectional Study

Piotr K Krajewski et al. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2024 Jul.

Abstract

Introduction: Sexual health, a critical aspect of overall well-being, is often compromised in individuals with chronic disorders. Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that mainly affects intertriginous areas, potentially impacting sexual health as a result of its specific symptoms and psychosocial burden.

Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized data from the EpiCAi project, focusing on 199 patients with HS. Participants completed digital questionnaires assessing sexual health via sex-specific instruments: the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) for women and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) for men, alongside different psychosocial scales. The disease severity was assessed using the Hurley stage and the Lesion Identification Scheme for Acne Inversa (LISAI).

Results: The majority of the participants reported impaired sexual health, with significant clinical sexual dysfunctions noted in 71.8% of women (FSFI score < 26) and erectile dysfunction in 63.8% of men. Sexual dysfunction was associated with several factors, including age, and marital status. Psychosocial factors, notably depression and quality of life, showed strong correlations with sexual health outcomes. Notably, women over 40 and those treated with biologics reported more severe dysfunction, while among men, employment status significantly influenced sexual health.

Conclusions: HS profoundly affects the sexual health of both male and female patients, with significant impacts on their quality of life and psychological well-being. The findings underscore the necessity for healthcare providers to address sexual health proactively in the management of HS, considering both physical symptoms and psychosocial impacts. This holistic approach is essential for improving patient outcomes and overall quality of life.

Trial registration: German Register for Clinical Trials, identifier DRKS00025315.

Keywords: Erectile dysfunction; Hidradenitis suppurativa; Sexual dysfunction; Sexuality.

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Conflict of interest statement

Michael Schultheis: Grants or contracts from any entity: LENICURA GmbH—auditor activity on the implementation of the contract “AOK-Priomed Acne inversa” | Payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events: UCB, Pfizer, AbbVie—honoraria for lectures | Support for attending meetings and/or travel: UCB,AbbVie, Pfizer, Almirall Novartis – funding of travel, congress, and hotel fees; Advisory Boards: UCB and Novartis. Stephan Grabbe: Grants or contracts from any entity: Novartis, Pierre Fabre | Consulting fees: AbbVie, BMS, MSD, Genzyme, Klinge Pharma, Sun Pharma, Kyowa-Kirin, Novartis, Pierre Fabre | Participation on a Data Safety Monitoring Board or Advisory Board: Alcedis | Leadership or fiduciary role in other board, society, committee or advocacy group, paid or unpaid unrelated to current work presented here: DeCOG, German dermatological cooperative oncology group—unrelated to current work presented here. Petra Staubach: Grants or contracts from any entity: Novartis; Allmirall | Consulting fees: AbbVie, Allergika, Almirall-Hermal, Amgen, Beiersdorf, Biocryst, BMS, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Celgene, CSL-Behring, Eli Lilly, Falk, Galderma, Hexal, Janssen, Klinge, Klosterfrau, LEO-Pharma, LETI-Pharma, L’Oreal, Novartis, Octapharma, Pfizer, Pflüger, Pharming, Regeneron, Shire, Takeda, Sanofi-Genzyme, UCB Pharma | Leadership or fiduciary role in other board, society, committee or advocacy group, paid or unpaid unrelated to current work presented here: Society of dermopharmazie, UNEV. Alexandra Strobel: Nothing to declare. Marcus Heise: Nothing to declare. Katharina Hennig: CEO and stakeholder of LENICURA GmbH. Georgios Nikolakis: Consulting fees—Dessau Medical Center received a consulting fee from Mölnlycke Health Care GmbH, for which I served as a consulting physician | Payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events: Speaker for the EADV HS Course 28–30.11.2022, Porto, Portugal | Support for attending meetings and/or travel: Elli Lilly Scholarship for attending EADV 2021 | Participation in a data protection monitoring board or advisory board—Dessau Medical Center received a consulting fee from Mölnlycke Health Care GmbH, for which I served as a consulting physician, travel grants from Abbvie. Uwe Kirschner: Consulting Fees: Novartis | Payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events: Novartis | Participation on a data protection monitoring board or advisory board: Novartis, EsmAiL, EpiCAi | Leadership or fiduciary role in other board, society, committee or advocacy group, paid or unpaid: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Wundheilung und Wundbehandlung. Jacek C Szepietowski: Advisory Board/Consultant for AbbVie, Leo Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi-Genzyme, Trevi, UCB and Vifor; Speaker for AbbVie, Almirall, Janssen-Cilag, Eli Lilly, Leo Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi-Genzyme; Investigator for for AbbVie, Almirall, Amgen, AnaptysBio, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celtrion, Galderma, Galapagos, Helm AG, Kliniksa, Incyte, InfraRX, Janssen-Cilag, Leo Pharma, Medimmune, Menlo Therapeutics, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, UCB, Teva, Trevi. Jacek C. Szepietowski is an Editorial Board member of Dermatology and Therapy. Jacek C. Szepietowski was not involved in the selection of peer reviewers for the manuscript nor any of the subsequent editorial decisions.. Lukasz Matusiak: Advisory Board/Consultant for AbbVie, Novartis; Speaker for AbbVie, Aristo, Leo Pharma, Medac; Investigator for for AbbVie, Almirall, Amgen, AnaptysBio, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celtrion, Galderma, Galapagos, Helm AG, Kliniksa, Incyte, InfraRX, Janssen-Cilag, Leo Pharma, Medimmune, Menlo Therapeutics, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, UCB, Teva, Trevi. Piotr Krajewski: Nothing to declare. Esther von Stebut: Consulting fees: Janssen, Novartis | Payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events: Janssen, Novartis, Infectopharm, Leo | Leadership or fiduciary role in other board, society, committee or advocacy group, paid or unpaid: Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Mediziner Fakultätentag). Hans Bayer, Simone Garcovich: No conflict of interest to this manuscript.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Violin plots representing differences in female sexual function depending on the genital area affectation
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Violin plots representing differences in male sexual function depending on the relationship status
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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