Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is encountered in millions of people worldwide, with continuously rising incidence during the past decades, affecting their quality of life despite the increase of life expectancy in these patients.
Disturbance of sexual function is common among men with CKD, as both conditions share common pathophysiological causes, such as vascular or hormonal abnormalities and are both affected by similar coexisting comorbid conditions such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes mellitus.
The estimated prevalence of erectile dysfunction reaches 70% in end stage renal disease patients. Nevertheless, sexual dysfunction remains under-recognized and under-treated in a high proportion of these patients, a fact which should raise awareness among clinicians.
A multifactorial approach in management and treatment is undoubtedly required in order to improve patients' quality of life and cardiovascular outcomes.
World J Nephrol. 2015 Jul 6;4(3):379-87. doi: 10.5527/wjn.v4.i3.379.
Papadopoulou E1, Varouktsi A1, Lazaridis A1, Boutari C1, Doumas M1.
Eirini Papadopoulou, Anna Varouktsi, Antonios Lazaridis, Chrysoula Boutari, Michael Doumas, 2 Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University, 54643 Thessaloniki, Greece.