ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

Abstract Number: 2316

Sexual Dysfunction in Women with Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Meta-Analysis of FSFI Total and Domain Scores

Gabriela Moreira1, Hemerli De Cinque Almeida Esteves2, Nicole Felix3 and Jose Fernando Verztman1, 1Hospital Federal dos Servidores do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2No current affiliation, Columbus, OH, 3Federal University of Campina Grande, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil

Meeting: ACR Convergence 2025

Keywords: , , , ,

Session Information

Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Title: (2305–2337) Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Diagnosis, Manifestations, & Outcomes Poster III

Session Type: Poster Session C

Session Time: 10:30AM-12:30PM

Background/Purpose: Beyond musculoskeletal manifestations, there is growing recognition of the systemic and psychosocial burden of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Sexual health is an often-overlooked aspect of quality of life in affected women. However, the impact of axSpA on sexual dysfunction (SD) in women remains unknown.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library for observational studies comparing women with axSpA fulfilling the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) classification criteria versus age-matched healthy controls. Our outcomes of interest were total FSFI and individual domain scores (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain). Mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model in R version 4.5.0.

Results: We included four cross-sectional studies comparing women with axSpA to age-matched healthy controls. A total of 174 women with axSpA were included (114 with radiographic axSpA and 60 with non-radiographic axSpA). The mean age was 38.3 years. The FSFI total score was significantly lower in women with axSpA compared to healthy controls (MD -4.69 points; 95% CI -8.83 to -0.54). Significant impairments were also observed in the following FSFI domains: desire (MD -0.81; 95% CI -1.53 to -0.09), arousal (MD -1.07; 95% CI -1.64 to -0.50), lubrication (MD -0.87; 95% CI -1.57 to -0.16) and pain scores (MD -0.59; 95% CI -1.13 to -0.05). However, there were no significant differences in terms of orgasm (MD -0.79; 95% CI -1.83 to 0.26) or satisfaction (MD -0.63; 95% CI -1.75 to 0.49).

Conclusion: In this meta-analysis, women with axSpA had signs of sexual dysfunction and worse sexual health as compared with age-matched healthy controls, highlighting the importance of incorporating sexual health evaluation into routine axSpA care, regardless of radiographic status.

Supporting image 1Figure 1. Forest plot showing lower total FSFI scores in women with axial spondyloarthritis compared to healthy controls.

Supporting image 2Figure 2. Forest plots showing lower FSFI scores in desire, arousal, lubrication, and pain domains among women with axSpA vs. controls. All differences were statistically significant.

Disclosures: G. Moreira: Janssen, 6, Novartis, 6; H. De Cinque Almeida Esteves: None; N. Felix: None; J. Verztman: Janssen, 6, UCB, 6.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Moreira G, De Cinque Almeida Esteves H, Felix N, Verztman J. Sexual Dysfunction in Women with Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Meta-Analysis of FSFI Total and Domain Scores [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2025; 77 (suppl 9). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/sexual-dysfunction-in-women-with-axial-spondyloarthritis-a-meta-analysis-of-fsfi-total-and-domain-scores/. Accessed .

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