Lichen sclerosus tied to sexual dysfunction in women

Sexual dysfunction commonly occurs in many women with lichen sclerosus (LS), reveals a study, noting that further research is warranted, particularly that which includes biopsy-proven LS and validated tools on sexual function.

A group of researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing research on LS and sexual function in the database of PubMed using the following search terms: lichen sclerosus, vulval lichen sclerosus, vulval lichen sclerosus et atrophicus, kraurosis vulvae and sexual function/s, sexual disorder/s, sexual activity/ties, sexual dysfunction/s, dyspareunia, or vaginismus.

They sought to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among women with vulvar LS. About three in five women (59 percent) with LS experience sexual dysfunction.

Of the 210 studies identified, 26 met the eligibility criteria and three were excluded because they were not related to sexual function, were focused on a surgical or medical intervention and sexual dysfunction, and one was a review article. Twenty-three studies were included in the final analysis, which had a total of 486 participants with LS and 208 suffering from any kind of sexual dysfunction.

On meta-analysis, sexual dysfunction appeared prevalent among women with LS (59 percent, 95 percent confidence interval, 48‒70). The most common type of dysfunction reported were dyspareunia or generalized pain with sexual intercourse.

“Discussing sexual concerns with women with LS could empower them to seek treatment,” the researchers said.

The study was limited by the few articles that met the inclusion criteria.

“LS is a common autoimmune dermatological condition that is often underdiagnosed in women and has been documented to affect quality of life and sexual function,” the researchers said.