Skin tightening and discomfort, vaginal tightness and dryness, thickening of skin around the lips, painful finger ulcers and calcium Calcitonin (salmon) web deposits, gastrointestinal symptoms, joint pain and muscular weakness, may affect sexual function [11?6]. A recent study found that only 41 of 547 female SSc patients in the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group (CSRG) Registry reported sexual activity in the past 4 weeks [12]. Over 60 of sexually active patients reported impaired sexual function based on the short 4EGI-1 version of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) [12,17]. Overall, only 17 of patients were sexually active without impairment. In multivariate analysis, women who were sexually active were significantly more likely to be younger, and to have fewer gastrointestinal symptoms and less severe Raynaud’s phenomenon symptoms. Women who were sexually impaired were significantly more likely to be older and to have greater skin involvement and more severe breathing problems. Disease duration was unrelated to sexual activity and impairment. Limited sexual activity and impaired sexual function appear to be common among women with many chronic illnesses [18], including SSc [11,12,19?3]. We do not know of any studies, however, that have compared activity and impairment rates among women with a chronic illness to general population data. Thus, the objectives of this study were to 1) compare sexual activity and impairment rates, stratified by age and marital status, between women with SSc and women from 1379592 a population sample; 2) estimate the overall odds of being sexually active and of experiencing impairment for women with SSc compared to the population sample, controlling for age and marital status; and 3) identify domains of sexual function most strongly related to impairment in women with SSc.Thomas’ Hospital Research Ethics Committee and all participants provided informed written consent.SSc Patient SampleFemale patients from 12CSRG Registry sites from across Canada completed study questionnaires between July 2008 and February 2012. Eligible Registry patients are 18 years old, have a rheumatologist-confirmed diagnosis of SSc, and are fluent in English or French. At annual Registry visits, patients undergo extensive clinical evaluations and complete self-report questionnaires, including questions on sexual function.UK Population SampleThis sample consisted of monozygotic and dizygotic female twin individuals enrolled in the Adult Twins UK Registry who completed the FSFI in 2008 [24]. Registry participants were recruited through successive national media campaigns in the United Kingdom and Ireland and from other twin registers, including the Aberdeen Twin Registry and the Institute of Psychiatry Adult Registry. The Twins UK sample has been found to be similar to other UK female population samples in terms of disease prevalence and lifestyle characteristics [25?7].MeasuresSexual Activity. In the CSRG Registry, women were classified as sexually active/inactive based on the question, “During the past 4 weeks, have you engaged in sexual activities with your partner?” In the UK population sample, rather than a single question, classification was made based on the response “no sexual activity” in the past 4 weeks, which was included as a response on 7 FSFI questions (of 9 total FSFI questions). Sexual Impairment. Studies on female sexual function have been criticized for coding sexually inactive women as impaired [28]. Thus, in both samples, sexual impairm.Skin tightening and discomfort, vaginal tightness and dryness, thickening of skin around the lips, painful finger ulcers and calcium deposits, gastrointestinal symptoms, joint pain and muscular weakness, may affect sexual function [11?6]. A recent study found that only 41 of 547 female SSc patients in the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group (CSRG) Registry reported sexual activity in the past 4 weeks [12]. Over 60 of sexually active patients reported impaired sexual function based on the short version of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) [12,17]. Overall, only 17 of patients were sexually active without impairment. In multivariate analysis, women who were sexually active were significantly more likely to be younger, and to have fewer gastrointestinal symptoms and less severe Raynaud’s phenomenon symptoms. Women who were sexually impaired were significantly more likely to be older and to have greater skin involvement and more severe breathing problems. Disease duration was unrelated to sexual activity and impairment. Limited sexual activity and impaired sexual function appear to be common among women with many chronic illnesses [18], including SSc [11,12,19?3]. We do not know of any studies, however, that have compared activity and impairment rates among women with a chronic illness to general population data. Thus, the objectives of this study were to 1) compare sexual activity and impairment rates, stratified by age and marital status, between women with SSc and women from 1379592 a population sample; 2) estimate the overall odds of being sexually active and of experiencing impairment for women with SSc compared to the population sample, controlling for age and marital status; and 3) identify domains of sexual function most strongly related to impairment in women with SSc.Thomas’ Hospital Research Ethics Committee and all participants provided informed written consent.SSc Patient SampleFemale patients from 12CSRG Registry sites from across Canada completed study questionnaires between July 2008 and February 2012. Eligible Registry patients are 18 years old, have a rheumatologist-confirmed diagnosis of SSc, and are fluent in English or French. At annual Registry visits, patients undergo extensive clinical evaluations and complete self-report questionnaires, including questions on sexual function.UK Population SampleThis sample consisted of monozygotic and dizygotic female twin individuals enrolled in the Adult Twins UK Registry who completed the FSFI in 2008 [24]. Registry participants were recruited through successive national media campaigns in the United Kingdom and Ireland and from other twin registers, including the Aberdeen Twin Registry and the Institute of Psychiatry Adult Registry. The Twins UK sample has been found to be similar to other UK female population samples in terms of disease prevalence and lifestyle characteristics [25?7].MeasuresSexual Activity. In the CSRG Registry, women were classified as sexually active/inactive based on the question, “During the past 4 weeks, have you engaged in sexual activities with your partner?” In the UK population sample, rather than a single question, classification was made based on the response “no sexual activity” in the past 4 weeks, which was included as a response on 7 FSFI questions (of 9 total FSFI questions). Sexual Impairment. Studies on female sexual function have been criticized for coding sexually inactive women as impaired [28]. Thus, in both samples, sexual impairm.
