Gender specific sexual dysfunction in patients with depression

An interdisciplinary intervention for detection of sexual dysfunction associated with antidepressants: A pilot study

Introduction

Treatment-emergent sexual dysfunction (TESD) is a commonly reported side effect of antidepressant medications in clinical trials. Limited literature exists exploring the role of routine use of the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX) in identification of TESD in clinical practice. Therefore, we completed a retrospective study with the primary goal of capturing the rates of sexual dysfunction associated with antidepressant use among adult patients at an outpatient encounter with a psychiatric clinical pharmacist between June 2020 and March 2022.

Methods

Rates of identification of sexual dysfunction were compared pre-ASEX survey (June 2020 to June 2021) to post-ASEX survey (July 2021 to March 2022).

Results

There was a significant increase in the identification of sexual dysfunction following implementation of the ASEX scale (10% in the pre-ASEX group versus 59% meeting sexual dysfunction criteria with the ASEX scale). Approximately 70% of patients in the post-ASEX group shared they would not have reported symptoms unless directly asked.

Discussion

In conclusion, a validated survey (ASEX) in an ambulatory psychiatry clinic improves identification of sexual dysfunction associated with antidepressants. Use of interdisciplinary care teams in the setting of medication follow-up can assist with identifying tolerability concerns between visits with patients' prescribing clinicians.

Using network analysis to model associations between psychological symptoms, sexual function, and sexual distress in women

Background

Psychological difficulties, including depression, anxiety, and somatization, are among the most important predictors for women's sexual function (i.e., arousal, desire, lubrication, pain, and satisfaction) and sexual distress. These associations have largely been studied at the construct level, with little research examining which specific symptoms might be most important for maintaining links between psychological difficulties and domains of sexual function. The present research sought to establish and characterize networks of women's psychological symptoms, sexual function, and sexual distress, and identify potential bridge symptoms that connect them.

Methods

In a cross-sectional study, 725 women reported on their sexual function, sexual distress, and depressive, anxiety, and somatization symptoms. A series of network analyses was used to identify central symptoms and connections between psychological symptoms, sexual function domains, and sexual distress.

Results

Across the modeled networks, sexual distress and pain during sex were consistent bridges between other sexual function domains and psychological symptoms.

Discussion

Overall, our models revealed sexual distress as an important potential mediator between sexual function problems and psychological symptoms that might contribute to the development and maintenance of comorbid sexual function and psychological problems.

Sexual Dysfunction Induced by Antidepressants-A Pharmacovigilance Study Using Data from VigiBaseTM

Sexual dysfunction is a common side effect of antidepressants, significantly impacting patients' quality of life and treatment adherence. This study investigates the relationship between sexual dysfunction and antidepressants by analyzing data from VigiBase™, the World Health Organization's global database of individual case safety reports. In this study, we examined, for the first time, reports related to sexual response-desire, arousal, and orgasm-by grouping appropriate side effect terms and calculated the reporting odds ratios (RORs) for various antidepressants. The findings of this study highlight a high disproportional reporting of sexual dysfunction, particularly with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. In contrast, agents such as agomelatine, bupropion, and mirtazapine showed a lower association. Furthermore, we investigated the correlation between reporting odds ratios and the binding affinities of antidepressants to specific neurotransmitter receptors and transporters, unveiling significant relationships that provide insights into the pharmacodynamic pathways underlying these adverse effects. For instance, a positive correlation was observed between the serotonin transporter and side effects in the category desire: r (19) = 0.67, p = 0.001 These insights underscore the necessity for clinicians to consider sexual side effects when prescribing antidepressants and to monitor and address these issues to improve patient outcomes.

Effect of l-arginine compared to placebo on sexual function in women with major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

While some evidence suggests that l-arginine may improve sexual function and alleviate depression, it has not been investigated in women with depression to assess both its effects on the depression and sexual function concurrently.

METHODS

Patients who had received a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, as determined by predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, were enrolled in this triple-blind clinical trial. Patients were divided into two groups: group A, received L-arginine 1 gram twice daily, and group B, received a placebo for four weeks. They were evaluated at baseline, after four and eight weeks with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and Rosen's questionnaire or Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).

RESULTS

A decrease in the severity of depression was observed in all patients, which was determined due to Hamilton's questionnaire (P-value < 0.001). During the time in group A, FSFI increased. Based on the FSFI questionnaire, they had improvement in some domains, including the lubrication index and orgasm index, which significantly changed in the eighth week compared to the baseline (P-value < 0.05). However, these two indicators did not change statistically significantly compared to the placebo group.

CONCLUSION

L-arginine supplementation can improve sexual function, particularly lubrication and orgasm, and mood in women with depression, with minimal side effects observed. Additional research is necessary to validate these results by examining the effects of higher dosages, extended durations, and larger populations of depressed patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trial: IRCT20100127003210N26.

Prevalence of sexual dysfunction and its association with psychological symptoms in drug-naive major depressive disorder patients in West China

Background

Sexual dysfunction is commonly observed in individuals with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), along with various psychological symptoms such as anxiety, somatic complaints, interpersonal sensitivity, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies. However, there is a research gap in understanding the impact of these psychological symptoms on sexual functioning in MDD. Furthermore, there is limited data on the incidence of sexual dysfunction among drug-naive MDD patients in West China. This study aims to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in this patient population and explore its association with other psychological indicators.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of patient data from October 2020 to September 2022 using propensity score matching. A focused group of 165 males and 490 females was selected from a total of 1941 MDD patients. This allowed for a comparative analysis of demographic data, as well as scores from the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX).

Results

Our findings reveal that 46.2% of drug-naive MDD patients experienced sexual dysfunction. Notably, there was a higher prevalence of sexual dysfunction among female patients (50.3%) compared to males (37.5%). MDD patients without sexual dysfunction consistently exhibited higher SDS scores than those with sexual dysfunction (p < 0.01), There were no statistically significant differences between male and female MDD patients with or without concomitant sexual dysfunction in terms of Somatic complaints, Obsessive-compulsive, Interpersonal sensitivity, Anxiety, Phobic anxiety, Paranoid ideation, Psychoticism and Diet/sleep difficulties (p > 0.05). In addition, male MDD patients with sexual dysfunction showed a emerging trend towards elevated Hostility scores on the SCL-90 (p = 0.058), male MDD patients with sexual dysfunction showed an increasing trend in hostility scores on the SCL-90, whereas female MDD patients with sexual dysfunction did not show such a trend.

Conclusion

The study highlights a significant gender difference in the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among MDD patients, with females being more susceptible than males. There is a positive correlation between the severity of depression and sexual dysfunction in both genders. Interestingly, male MDD patients demonstrated a potential protective effect of hostility against sexual dysfunction, which was not observed in female patients.