Highlights
- •People with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience cognitive impairment and sexual dysfunction.
- •Perceived cognitive impairment is associated with sexual dysfunction in MS patients.
- •Perceived cognitive impairment may be an independent risk factor for sexual dysfunction.
Abstract
Background
The potential relationship between perceived cognitive impairment (PCI) and sexual
dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) has not been studied.
Objectives
To explore the relationship between cognitive impairment and sexual dysfunction over
2.5 years in people with MS.
Methods
Data were derived from the Health Outcomes and Lifestyle In a Sample of people with
Multiple sclerosis (HOLISM) international cohort over 2.5 years' follow-up. Cognitive
function and sexual function were assessed by sub-scores of the MS Quality of Life-54.
The impact of perceived cognitive impairment on sexual dysfunction was assessed by
calculating prevalence ratios (PR) and relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals
(CI) using log-binomial regression models.
Results
1958 participants were included at baseline, of whom 555 without perceived cognitive
impairment at baseline comprised the longitudinal cohort. The prevalence of perceived
cognitive impairment at baseline was 45.6%. At baseline, cognitive impairment was
associated with increased frequency of self-reported sexual dysfunction (aPR=1.32,
95% CI: 1.17–1.48). Among the sample without sexual dysfunction at baseline, incident
sexual dysfunction was more common among participants with persistent (aRR=1.61, 95%
CI: 1.06–3.18) and newly reported cognitive impairment (aRR=1.89, 95% CI: 1.14–3.14).
Conclusion
Results suggest PCI may be an independent risk factor for sexual dysfunction in PwMS,
which may represent an additional dimension whereby MS may adversely affect quality
of life.
Keywords
Abbreviations:
BMI (Body mass index), CI (Confidence interval), CNS (Central Nervous System), HOLISM (Health Outcomes and Lifestyle In a Sample of people with Multiple sclerosis), MS (Multiple sclerosis), MSQOL (Multiple sclerosis quality of life), P-MSSS (Patient-derived multiple sclerosis severity score), PCI (Perceived cognitive impairment), PHQ (Patient Health Questionnaire), PR (Prevalence ratio), PwMS (People with multiple sclerosis), PDDS (Patient-determined disease steps), QoL (Quality of life), RR (Relative risk)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 16, 2020
Accepted:
July 16,
2020
Received in revised form:
July 6,
2020
Received:
May 25,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
