Sexual Dysfunction in Men With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A New IBD-Specific Scale

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Sexual Medicine
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with potential sexual dysfunction in men.
• A validated tool is needed to measure sexual dysfunction specifically in male IBD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a new IBD-specific Male Sexual Dysfunction Scale (IBD-MSDS).
• To assess the prevalence and contributing factors of sexual dysfunction in male IBD patients.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey of 175 male IBD patients was conducted.
• The 15-item IBD-MSDS was developed and validated using exploratory factor analysis.
• Sexual functioning was also assessed using the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF) and depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).

Main Results:

• The validated 10-item IBD-MSDS demonstrated strong reliability (α = 0.90) and validity.
• The IBD-MSDS correlated significantly with IIEF subscales and PHQ-9 scores.
• Sexual dysfunction in IBD was linked to ileoanal pouch anastomosis, depression, and increased disease activity.

Conclusions:

• An IBD-specific scale (IBD-MSDS) has been developed and validated to assess the psychosexual impact of IBD in men.
• This scale can aid physicians in screening for and identifying factors related to sexual dysfunction in male IBD patients.