Sexual dysfunction among female patients with rheumatic diseases

To demonstrate the burden of sexual dysfunction (SD) among females with rheumatic diseases, we conducted a cross-sectional comparative study in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and Behçet’s syndrome (BS) along with suitable healthy controls (HCs). Age-matched female patients with SSc ( n = 50), SLE ( n = 49), and BS ( n = 54), along with 52 female HCs were included in this study between April and October, 2021. Sociodemographic features were recorded, and psychometric tests, i.e., female sexual function index (FSFI), Beck depression inventory (BDI), body cathexis scale, and marital adjustment test (MAT) were performed. Scale scores were compared, and binary logistic regression was used to identify predictors for SD in the whole group. The total FSFI and body cathexis scores among the patient groups were significantly lower than those of the HCs ( p