Dados do Trabalho

Título

Is sexual function deteriorated in postmenopausal women with obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia?

Introdução

Sleep and sexual activity are commonly disturbed in postmenopausal women due to a decline in hormone levels. Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can reach a prevalence of 31% and 44% of postmenopausal women, respectively, which can affect women’s wellness.

Objetivo

The aim of this study was to investigate the climacteric and sexual symptoms of postmenopause women with both sleep disorders (insomnia and OSA) and compare to women with only insomnia or with only OSA.

Métodos

Our sample comprised 47 postmenopausal women distributed into 3 groups: 1) insomnia, 2) OSA, and 3) OSA+insomnia. All participants completed the questionnaires: Insomnia Severity Index, Female Sexual Function Index, and Blatt-Kupperman menopausal index. Of the 47 participants, 34 women had undergone polysomnography. The 3 groups were compared in respect of climacteric symptoms, sexual function score, and sleep.

Resultados

Our results showed that 85.1% of the postmenopausal women were classified with insomnia, 46.8% were diagnosed with OSA, and 82.9% had low sexual function. All groups had sleep efficiency <80%, wake after sleep onset >65 min, and a total sleep time <6h, indicating poor sleep quality. There were no statistically significant differences among the groups in all sexual domains. The group of OSA+insomnia reported more climacteric symptoms (27.1±9.7) when compared to OSA group (15.7±9.6).

Conclusões

In our sample, the presence of insomnia and OSA associated with postmenopause revealed a low score for sexual function. Climacteric symptoms were higher in the groups with insomnia, and the association with low sexual function can lead to worsening of clinical condition.

Palavras -chave

Sleep, Obstructive sleep apnea, Insomnia, Menopause, Sexual function, Climacteric symptoms.