Long COVID sexual dysfunction among both genders: Evaluation of a cohort of COVID-19 recoverees

D Yelin; V Daitch; T Kalfon; M Mor; S Buchrits; Y Shafir; M Awwad; N Ghantous; I Shapira-Lichter; L Leibovici; D Yahav; I Margalit

doi:10.1016/j.idnow.2023.104750

Long COVID sexual dysfunction among both genders: Evaluation of a cohort of COVID-19 recoverees

Infect Dis Now. 2023 Oct;53(7):104750. doi: 10.1016/j.idnow.2023.104750. Epub 2023 Jul 3.

Authors

D Yelin¹, V Daitch², T Kalfon³, M Mor³, S Buchrits⁴, Y Shafir⁵, M Awwad⁶, N Ghantous⁶, I Shapira-Lichter⁷, L Leibovici², D Yahav⁸, I Margalit⁹

Affiliations

¹ COVID Recovery Clinic, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel; Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel; Infectious Diseases Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
² Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel; Research Authority, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel.
³ Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel.
⁴ Department of Internal Medicine A, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel.
⁵ Department of Internal Medicine F, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel.
⁶ Department of Internal Medicine E, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel.
⁷ Functional MRI Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel.
⁸ Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel; Infectious Diseases Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
⁹ COVID Recovery Clinic, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel; Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel; Infectious Diseases Unit, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel. Electronic address: ilimargalit@gmail.com.

PMID: 37406989
DOI: 10.1016/j.idnow.2023.104750

Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to assess Long COVID sexual dysfunction among both sexes.

Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study at a multidisciplinary COVID clinic. Consecutive patients answered a symptom-based questionnaire, which included sexual dysfunction. Individuals reporting any degree of sexual dysfunction were compared with those who denied. A multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify risk factors. A principal component analysis was implemented to explore other symptoms associated with sexual dysfunction.

Results: All in all, 391 individuals recovering from COVID-19 completed the questionnaire, 211 women and 180 men. Mean age was 45.2 (SD 15.4) years. Most (280, 85.9%) had mild COVID-19, assessed at a median of 3.8 (IQR 2.0) months from diagnosis. Sexual dysfunction was reported by 55 (36%) of the men and 48 (28%) of the women. Increased age [per year; men OR 1.05 (95% CI 1.02-1.08)], long COVID cough [men 2.58 (1.05-6.32)], chest pain [women 3.54 (1.28-9.80)], irritability [women 3.45 (1.28-9.29)], paresthesia [men 4.23 (1.55-10.44); women 3.08 (1.14-8.32)], and emotional distress [men 3.26 (1.36-7.82); women 4.29 (1.65-11.18)] were significantly associated with sexual dysfunction. In women, sexual dysfunction was part of the emotional pattern, while among men, it was part of the emotional and pulmonary patterns.

Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction is a common manifestation of long COVID in both men and women. Presence of other long COVID symptoms, and older age, are associated with this phenomenon. Further studies should explore the mechanisms for long COVID sexual dysfunction in both men and women, as well as strategies for prevention and treatment.

Keywords: Physiological; SARS-CoV-2; Sexual dysfunction.