WASHINGTON – Obese women experienced significant improvements in sexual function over 6-24 months after bariatric surgery in a multistudy review, indicating that this outcome should be listed among the possible benefits of surgery in this patient population, Dr. Kalaivani Ramalingam said at a joint annual meeting of the American Urogynecologic Society.
In a review of studies published between 1996 and 2013, Dr. Ramalingam of the department of gynecology at Kingston Hospital, Kingston upon Thames, England, and her associates identified five original studies of 254 obese women undergoing bariatric surgery that reported Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) scores before and after surgery. Studies of nonsurgical weight loss treatments and those that included both men and women were not included. The FSFI evaluates sexual function in six domains: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain.
Patients in the studies had statistically significant reductions in body mass index over 6-24 months of follow-up (P = .001). In one of the five studies, which enrolled 36 patients, FSFI scores did not improve after surgery.
But in the remaining four studies, there were statistically significant improvements in the overall FSFI scores after surgery (P = .003), Dr. Ramalingam said. In addition, statistically significant improvements in all domains of the score were observed after surgery: increased desire (P = .005), arousal (P = .001), lubrication (P = .003), satisfaction (P = .012) and orgasm (P =.003) – and a decrease in the levels of pain during intercourse (P = .014).
She noted that in one of the five studies, sexual function improved in women with pelvic floor dysfunction and that further studies in this specific group of patients are needed to evaluate the effect of surgery among obese women who are undergoing bariatric surgery and have pelvic floor dysfunction.
An estimated 51% of female bariatric surgery patients report sexual dysfunction, she said.
Dr. Ramalingam and one of her coauthors had no relevant disclosures. The third author disclosed being a speaker for and receiving honoraria from Pfizer, Astellas, and Shire; and serving on an advisory committee for Allergan.