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Female Sexual Dysfunction as a Warning Sign of Chronic Disease Development

  • Female Sexual Dysfunction and Disorders (T Lorenz & R Nappi, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Female sexual dysfunctions (FSD) in chronic diseases are often multi-factorial, integrating several bio-psychological and socio-environmental components. The aim of this review is to summarize existing evidence on the association between the most common chronic conditions and FSD and also to frame systematically experimental findings into a comprehensive overview on candidate mechanisms through which chronic diseases drive FSD pathogenesis.

Recent Findings

In men, it is now clear that several chronic diseases favour the development of sexual dysfunction (SD), especially erectile dysfunction (ED), by an integration of multiple pathogenic factors. More importantly, in men, ED has been recognized as a harbinger of several serious underlying medical conditions, including the cardiovascular ones. Conversely, the nature of the relationship between SD and chronic diseases in women remains controversial and, in contrast to the well-established associations with ED in men, FSD is not yet acknowledged as a warning sign of other systemic diseases. In this review of literature, we try to demonstrate that this is changing because there are some clinical and research evidences about the importance to recognize FSD in chronic disease. Specifically, we summarize the recent findings about the relation between cardio-metabolic, respiratory, renal, neurologic and rheumatic diseases and FSD.

Summary

Management of FSD is an important task to improve the overall quality of life of patients suffering from chronic, longstanding and often progressive diseases. It is also possible that sexual symptoms might be a warning sign for unrecognized conditions, although this is far to be completely understood. Further studies are needed to fully understand and treat this emerging topic in specific clinical settings.

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  1. Vincenza Di Stasi and Nunzia Verde contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental, Clinical, and Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139, Florence, Italy

    Vincenza Di Stasi, Elisa Maseroli, Irene Scavello, Sarah Cipriani, Tommaso Todisco, Mario Maggi & Linda Vignozzi

  2. Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Inconguence Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Italy

    Vincenza Di Stasi, Elisa Maseroli, Irene Scavello, Sarah Cipriani, Tommaso Todisco & Linda Vignozzi

  3. Medicine and Surgery, Section of Endocrinology, Federico II, University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Nunzia Verde

  4. Endocrinology Unit, Medical-Geriatric Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Italy

    Mario Maggi

  5. Istituto Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi, Rome, Italy

    Mario Maggi & Linda Vignozzi

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Di Stasi, V., Verde, N., Maseroli, E. et al. Female Sexual Dysfunction as a Warning Sign of Chronic Disease Development. Curr Sex Health Rep 11, 307–319 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-019-00229-4

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