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Sexual Dysfunction in Chronic Kidney Disease

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Management of Chronic Kidney Disease

Abstract

Several factors contribute to sexual dysfunction (SD) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and some of them are less frequent in general population. Hormonal alterations along with vascular, neurologic, and psychosocial factors and drugs contribute to the development of SD. Low levels of testosterone in men with CKD can be responsible to alterations in libido, erectile function, spermatogenesis, and sperm motility. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the persistent inability to achieve and/or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse. Risk factors for ED can be grouped into those that have an effect upon the vasculature, those in which the mode of action is nonvascular in nature, and age.

Many hormonal abnormalities occur in women with CKD, such as lack of pulsatile luteinizing hormone release and consequently anovulation and infertility. The frequency of reported SD in females increases as kidney disease progresses. Sexual function can be assessed in women, using the 9-item Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire or the 19-item FSFI. It is important for nephrologist and physicians to incorporate assessment of sexual function into their routine evaluation protocols.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    Domenico Santoro MD, Ersilia Satta MD & Guido Bellinghieri MD

Authors
  1. Domenico Santoro MD
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  2. Ersilia Satta MD
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  3. Guido Bellinghieri MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Domenico Santoro MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nephrology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

    Mustafa Arici

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Santoro, D., Satta, E., Bellinghieri, G. (2014). Sexual Dysfunction in Chronic Kidney Disease. In: Arici, M. (eds) Management of Chronic Kidney Disease. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-54637-2_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-54637-2_24

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