Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background & aim: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may experience symptoms of sexual dysfunction (SD). However, the magnitude of this problem remains uncertain. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the prevalence of SD in adult patients with IBD. Methods: MEDLINE EMBASE, EMBASE Classic (from inception to 9th April 2024) were searched to identify observational studies reporting the prevalence of SD in adult patients with IBD based on validated screening instruments. Data were extracted, and pooled prevalence (PP), odds ratios (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: Of 1017 citations evaluated, 18 articles fulfilled eligibility criteria, containing 2,694 patients with IBD recruited from 13 different countries. The PP of SD in IBD patients was 50.6% (95% CI=40.8%-60.5%; I2=96.3%) with an OR=2.94 (95% CI=1.99-4.35, I2=73.4) compared to healthy controls. When we considered UC or CD separately, the PP of SD was 64.8% (95% CI=45.1%-82.1%; I2=88.8%) in patients with UC, and 58.3% (95% CI=36.0%-79.0%; I2=95.3%) in patients with CD. In the subgroup analysis based on sex, the PP of SD was higher in females with IBD than in males (62.7% vs 34.0%; OR=3.99, 95% CI=2.80-5.68; I2=61.7%,). Furthermore, the PP of SD was higher in patients with active disease than patients with inactive disease (75.1% vs 34.2%; OR=9.65, 95% CI=1.02-91.33, I2=95.5%). Conclusion: We demonstrated high prevalence of SD in IBD patients, especially in women. Encouraging gastroenterologists to screen for, and treat, these disorders with a holistic approach might improve quality of life of patients with IBD.