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Global Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction in Individuals With Atopic Dermatitis and Asthma: A Systematic Review and
Suh Hyun Kim1,2, Soeun Kim2,3, Dongjin Yeo2,4
1Department of Medicine, University of Galway School of Medicine, Galway, Ireland.
Objective:
Asthma and atopic dermatitis are associated with various physical and psychosocial outcomes, however, the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in these populations remains underexplored. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among individuals with asthma and atopic dermatitis.
Design:
A systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to estimate pooled prevalence with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses were conducted stratifying by sex, geographic regions and diagnostic tools.
Data Sources:
PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to 1 July 2025.
Eligibility Criteria:
Studies including adults with asthma or atopic dermatitis were eligible. Sexual dysfunction was defined as impairments in sexual desire or sexual response, identified via clinical diagnosis or validated questionnaires, including the Female Sexual Function Index and International Index of Erectile Function.
Results:
A total of 19 studies comprising 10,851 participants, including 1577 patients with asthma or atopic dermatitis from 18 countries across five continents, were included. The pooled prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 54.3% (95% CI 45.9-64.3) in asthma and 19.1% (13.4-27.3) in atopic dermatitis. In both conditions, prevalence was substantially higher in females than males: 71.5% (95% CI 63.3-80.7) versus 29.6% (17.1-51.2) in asthma and 53.0% (36.4-77.1) versus 16.7% (7.3-38.2) in atopic dermatitis. Studies using validated tools reported higher prevalence than those relying on supportive methods or clinical diagnoses. Smoking status was not significantly associated with differences in prevalence among individuals with asthma. Among control groups, pooled prevalence was 9.7% (95% CI 0.6-169.6) for males and 30.1% (18.7-48.5) for females in asthma studies and 2.2% (0.16-28.8) overall in atopic dermatitis studies.
Conclusions:
Sexual dysfunction was highly prevalent among individuals with asthma and atopic dermatitis, particularly in females. These findings highlight the need for greater clinical attention to sexual dysfunction in the management of allergic diseases.
Systematic Review Registration:
PROSPERO (CRD420251115928).
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