Sexual Dysfunction and Satisfaction in Kidney Transplant Patients

Abstract Introduction 10% of the world’s population suffers from chronic kidney disease. Kidney transplants provide an improvement in the quality of life of those patients. Sexual dysfunction is common after kidney transplantation, and its etiology is presumed to be multifactorial. It has a negative impact on sexual satisfaction and health-related quality-of-life. The integration of a new organ into the body can imply an adjustment of body image, which may eventually have a negative influence on intimacy and sexual behaviors. Aim To evaluate male sexual function, sexual satisfaction, and body image satisfaction among a convenience sample of patients who have had a kidney transplant. Methods This is a cross-sectional study that included 460 patients, from a single healthcare center, who had undergone a kidney transplant procedure >4 weeks ago. A total of 112 respondents (mean = 55.5 years, SD = 11.4) answered the questionnaires properly. Main Outcome Measures All recruited patients answered a self-reported sociodemographic questionnaire, in addition to the International Index of Erectile function, the New Scale of Sexual Satisfaction, the Brief Symptom Inventory, and the Body Image Scale. Results A correlation was found between sexual function and sexual satisfaction (r = 0.598, P < .001, n = 112), as well as between body image satisfaction and sexual function (r = −0.193, P = .042, n = 112). The length of time after a kidney transplant (≤ or >36 months) was not associated with a difference in sexual functioning or sexual satisfaction. Clinical Implications This study showed the obvious implications of sexual function on sexual satisfaction, which should alert healthcare professionals to the importance of identifying and managing sexual dysfunction in patients with chronic kidney disease, to optimize their global and sexual health satisfaction. Strength & Limitations This study identified a high prevalence of sexual dysfunction among kidney transplant recipients. This should reinforce the need for the medical community to evaluate the quality-of-life domains of patients with chronic disease. There is still a lack of information concerning any longitudinal evaluation of kidney transplant patients’ sexual function and the effects that this surgery has on sexuality. Conclusions This study corroborated the severe effects that kidney transplant patients often report regarding their sexuality. Among the patients who participated in the study, sexual function proved to be relevant in relation to sexual satisfaction.