[Anticholinergics do not affect the sexual function in women diagnosed with multiple sclerosis]

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Urology
• Sexual Medicine

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) can cause overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms.
• Anticholinergic medications are commonly used to treat OAB.
• The potential impact of these medications on sexual function in women with MS is not well-understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of initiating anticholinergic treatment on the sexual function of women diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
• To assess changes in various aspects of female sexual function before and after anticholinergic therapy.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, open-label study involving 18 women with MS and OAB.
• Assessment of anticholinergic load using the Anticholinergic Drug Scale (ADS).
• Evaluation of sexual function using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and urinary symptoms via the Urinary Symptom Profile (USP).
• Functional status was measured using the EDSS and MIF scales.
• Quantitative data were analyzed using Student's t-test.

Main Results:

• Anticholinergic load significantly increased post-treatment (P<0.0001).
• Significant improvement was observed in the OAB USP subscore (P=0.01), indicating better bladder control.
• No statistically significant changes were found in the overall FSFI score (P=0.06) or its sub-items including lubrication, pain, desire, orgasm, satisfaction, and arousal.

Conclusions:

• In this cohort of women with MS initiating anticholinergic therapy for OAB, no adverse effects on sexual function were detected.
• The findings suggest that anticholinergic treatment for OAB is unlikely to negatively impact sexual quality in this patient population.