Depression, diabetes duration predict sexual dysfunction in women with T1D

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is significantly associated with the risk of sexual dysfunction among women, according to the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

In addition, depression and longer duration of diabetes significantly predict female sexual dysfunction (FSD) among those with T1D.

A team of investigators conducted this systematic review using the Wanfang Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, and Embase from inception through 28 February 2023. They analysed the heterogeneity among studies using Q and I² tests. Heterogeneity sources were detected through subgroup analyses and meta-regression.

FSD showed a pooled prevalence of 38.5 percent (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 32.1‒45.0) among females with T1D. Patients with T1D had a higher risk of FSD than health control participants (odds ratio [OR], 3.77, 95 percent CI, 2.24‒6.35).

Additionally, the following factors significantly predicted FSD among females with T1D: depression status (OR, 2.77, 95 percent CI, 1.29‒5.93) and longer diabetes duration (OR, 1.19, 95 percent CI, 1.06‒1.34).

“Females with T1D had a significantly increased prevalence of FSD, indicating that clinicians should be concerned about FSD among females with T1D,” the investigators said.

This study is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the global prevalence and predictors of FSD among women with T1D, according to the investigators. It is limited by the significant heterogeneity after pooling the articles.