Prevalencia de los trastornos de la sexualidad en mujeres climatéricas: influencia de la menopausia y de la terapia de reemplazo hormonal / Prevalence of sexual dysfunction in climacteric women: influence of menopause and hormone replacement therapy

ABSTRACT

Background: Few trials have studied the prevalence of sexual dysfunction (SD) and related risk factors in postmenopausal women using the DSM-IV criteria. Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of SD in menopausal women and the impact of risk factors. Patients and methods: Five hundred thirty four healthy women, 40 to 64 years of age were interviewed using the Laumann test (DSM-IV). Results: Mean age was 52.4ñ5.7 years. Eighty three percent were peri or postmenopausal, 23 percent used hormonal substitution therapy and 79.2 percent were sexually active. Among sexually active women, the prevalence of SD increased along with age, from 22.2 percent at the 40-44 years old range to 66.0 percent in the 60-64 years old group. Hormone users and healthy women had a low risk for SD (Odds ratio (OR) 0.1 IC 0.0-0.1 and OR 0.6 IC 0.3-0.9, respectively). The risk increased in menopausal women (OR 3.3 IC 1.6-6.9), those older than 49 years (OR 3.4 IC 1.8-6.4), those subjected to hysterectomy (OR 3.7 IC 1.3-10.6) or those with an impotent sexual partner (OR 3.2 IC 1.2-8.6). Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of SD among climacteric women. Estrogens, either endogenous or exogenous, have a positive influence on sexuality