Sexual Dysfunction in Female Patients with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome and Effects of Depression: Cross-Sectional Study

Primary Sjögren’s syndrome causes disability and impaired quality of life. However, unlike other rheumatological diseases, primary Sjögren’s syndrome affects the exocrine glands and can impact on sexual health. Primary Sjögren’s syndrome is also associated with depression. Two groups of female patients were included in the present study; one group comprised patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome and the second group consisted of healthy women. The two groups were compared in terms of female sexual dysfunction using the Female Sexual Function Index and depression using the Beck Depression Inventory. Path analysis was used to show the relationship between primary Sjögren’s syndrome, depression and female sexual dysfunction. Depression and female sexual dysfunction were higher in the group with primary Sjögren’s syndrome than in the group of healthy women. Path analysis confirmed that primary Sjogren’s syndrome itself and primary Sjögren’s syndrome induced depression may lead to female sexual dysfunction. Both female sexual dysfunction and depression are common in primary Sjögren’s syndrome. Therefore, it is important to consider the broad clinical picture for patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome, as both female sexual dysfunction and depression can be treated with education, psychotherapy, or medicine.