Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

The impact of ankylosing spondylitis on female sexual functions

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 25, pages 104–108 (2013)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the impact of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and the disease-related variables, psychological status and the quality of life on the female patients’ sexual function measured according to the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Thirty-seven sexually active female AS patients and 33 healthy controls were enroled in this study. Their demographic data were evaluated and the generalised pain in patients with AS was assessed according to the visual analogue scale (0–100 mm). Laboratory tests were conducted in order to measure the C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR) of the patients. In comparison to the healthy control group, patients with AS had significantly lower scores in each of the five domains of the FSFI except for the pain domain (P<0.05). The disease activity, functional status, quality of life, radiological score and CRP levels were negatively correlated with the FSFI (P<0.05). No significant correlation was observed with the disease duration, smoking status, depression, anxiety, pain and ESR when the total scores and the scores from the domains of the FSFI were compared. The sexual function is impaired in female patients with AS. This impairment in the sexual function is especially related to the functional status and disease activity among the clinical and laboratory parameters.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aytekin E, Caglar NS, Ozgonenel L, Tutun S, Demiryontar DY, Demir SE . Based exercise therapy in patients with ankylosing spondylitis effects on pain, mobility, disease activity, quality of life, and respiratory functions. Clin Rheumatol 2012; 31: 91–97.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Baysal O, Durmuş B, Ersoy Y, Altay Z, Senel K, Nas K et al. Relationship between psychological status and disease activity and quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis. Rheumatol Int 2011; 31: 795–800.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Hill J, Bird H, Thorpe R . Effects of rheumatoid arthritis on sexual activity and relationships. Rheumatology 2003; 42: 280–286.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Van Berlo WT, Van de Wiel HB, Taal E, Rasker JJ, Weijmar Schultz WC, Van Rijswijk MH . Sexual functioning of people with rheumatoid arthritis: a multicenter study. Clin Rheumatol 2007; 26: 30–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Abdel-Nasser AM, Ali EI . Determinants of sexual disability and dissatisfaction in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Rheumatol 2006; 25: 822–830.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Healey EL, Haywood KL, Jordan KP, Garratt AM, Ryan S, Packham JC . Ankylosing spondylitis and its impact on sexual relationships. Rheumatology 2009; 48: 1378–1381.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Cakar E, Dincer U, Kiralp MZ, Taskaynatan MA, Yasar E, Bayman EO et al. Sexual problems in male ankylosing spondylitis patients: relationship with functionality, disease activity, quality of life, and emotional status. Clin Rheumatol 2007; 26: 1607–1613.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Dincer U, Cakar E, Kiralp MZ, Dursun H . Assessment of sexual dysfunction in male patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Rheumatol Int 2007; 27: 561–566.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Pirildar T, Muezzinoglu T, Pirildar S . Sexual function in ankylosing spondylitis: A study of 65 men. J Urol 2004; 171: 1598–1600.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Garrett S, Jenkinson T, Kennedy LG, Whitelock H, Gaisford P, Calin A . A new approach to defining disease status in ankylosing spondylitis: The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index. J Rheumatol 1994; 21: 2286–2291.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Akkoc Y, Karatepe AG, Akar S, Kirazli Y, Akkoc N . A Turkish version of the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index: reliability and validity. Rheumatol Int 2005; 25: 280–284.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Calin A, Garrett S, Whitelock H, Kennedy LG, O'Hea J, Mallorie P et al. A new approach to defining functional ability in ankylosing spondylitis: the development of the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index. J Rheumatol 1994; 21: 2281–2285.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Jenkinson TR, Mallorie PA, Whitelock HC, Kennedy LG, Garrett SL, Calin A . Defining spinal mobility in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The Bath AS Metrology Index. J Rheumatol 1994; 21: 1694–1698.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Braun J, Golder W, Bollow M, Sieper J, Van der Heijde D . Imaging and scoring in ankylosing spondylitis. Clin Exp Rheumatol 2002; 20: 178–184.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Doward LC, Spoorenberg A, Cook SA, Whalley D, Helliwell PS, Kay LJ et al. Development of ASQoL: a quality of life instrument specific to ankylosing spondylitis. Ann Rheum Dis 2003; 62: 20–26.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Duruoz T, Doward L, Cerrahoglu L . Translation and validation of the Turkish version of the ankylosing spondylitis quality of life (ASQoL) Questionnaire Abstract Book EULAR, 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Zigmond AS, Snaith PR . The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1983; 67: 361–370.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Aydemir O, Guvenir T, Kuey L, Kultur S . Validity and reliability of Turkish version of hospital anxiety and depression scale. Turk Psikiyatri Derg 1997; 8: 280–287.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Rosen R, Brown C, Heiman J, Leiblum S, Meston C, Shabsigh R et al. The Female Sexual Dysfunction Index (FSFI): a multidimensional self-report instrumentfor the assessment of female sexual function. J Sex Marital Ther 2000; 26: 191–208.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Öksüz E, Malhan S . Prevalence and risk factors for female sexual dysfunction in Turkish women. J Urol 2006; 175: 654–658.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Domone C . Sexual function in women: what is normal? Int Urogynecol J 2009; 20: 9–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Ozkorumak E, Karkucak M, Civil F, Tiryaki A, Ozden G . Sexual function in male patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Int J Impot Res 2011; 23: 262–267.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Demir SE, Rezvani A, Ok S . Assessment of sexual functions in female patients with ankylosing spondylitis compared with healthy controls. Rheumatol Int 2012 e-pub ahead of print doi:10.1007/s00296-011-2344-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Gutweniger S, Kopp M, Mur E, Günther W . Body image of women with rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Exp Rheumatol 1999; 17: 413–417.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Ward MM . Health-related quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis: a survey of 175 patients. Arthritis Care Res 1999; 12: 247–255.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Bodur H, Ataman S, Rezvani A, Buğdaycı DS, Çevik R, Birtane M et al. Quality of life and related variables in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Qual Life Res 2011; 20: 543–549.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Bostan EE, Borman P, Bodur H, Barça N . Functional disability and quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Rheumatol Int 2003; 23: 121–126.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Ibn Yacoub Y, Amine B, Laatiris A, Abouqal R, Hajjaj-Hassouni N . Spinal mobility and its impact in Moroccan patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Clin Rheumatol 2011; 30: 239–243.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Kaya T, Gelal F, Gunaydin R . The relationship between severity and extent of spinal involvement and spinal mobility and physical functioning in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Clin Rheumatol 2006; 25: 835–839.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Wanders A, Landewe R, Dougados M, Mielants H, van der Linden SJ, van der Heijde D . Association between radiographic damage of the spine and spinal mobility for individual patients with ankylosing spondylitis: can assessment of spinal mobility be a proxy for radiographic evaluation? Ann Rheum Dis 2005; 64: 988–994.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Dougados M, Gueguen A, Nakache JP, Velicitat P, Zeidler H, Veys E et al. Clinical relevance of C-reactive protein in axial involvement of ankylosing spondylitis. J Rheumatol 1999; 26: 971–974.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Michael A, O’keane V . Sexual dysfunction in depression. Hum Psychopharmacol 2000; 15: 337–345.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Elst P, Sybesma T, van der Stadt RJ, Prins APA, Hissink Muller W, den Butter A . Sexual problems in rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Arthritis Rheum 1984; 27: 217–220.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Orellana C, Casado E, Masip M, Galisteo C, Gratacós J, Larrosa M . Sexual dysfunction in fibromyalgia patients. Clin Exp Rheumatol 2008; 26: 663–666.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Ozgul A, Peker F, Taskaynatan MA, Tan AK, Dincer K, Kalyon TA . Effect of ankylosing spondylitis on health-related quality of life and different aspects of social life in young patients. Clin Rheumatol 2006; 25: 168–174.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Kwan KS, Roberts LJ, Swalm DM . Sexual dysfunction and chronic pain: the role of psychological variables and impact on quality of life. Eur J Pain 2005; 9: 643–652.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Ertenli I, Ozer S, Kiraz S, Apras SB, Akdogan A, Karadag O et al. Infliximab, a TNF-alpha antagonist treatment in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: the impact on depression, anxiety and quality of life level. Rheumatol Int 2010; 32: 323–330.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakır, Turkey

    M A Sariyildiz, I Batmaz, B Dilek, M Bozkurt, M Karakoç & R Çevik

  2. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Gaziosmanpasa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey

    A Inanir

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakır, Turkey

    Y Bez

Authors
  1. M A Sariyildiz
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. I Batmaz
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A Inanir
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. B Dilek
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. M Bozkurt
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Y Bez
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  7. M Karakoç
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  8. R Çevik
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M A Sariyildiz.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sariyildiz, M., Batmaz, I., Inanir, A. et al. The impact of ankylosing spondylitis on female sexual functions. Int J Impot Res 25, 104–108 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2012.42

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2012.42

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links