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Associations between Arterial Health and Sexual Function in Late-Middle-Aged Women

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Associations between Arterial Health and Sexual Function in Late-Middle-Aged Women

Objectives: Female sexual dysfunction is extremely common, but its etiology and contributory factors are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between arterial health and female sexual function in late-middle-aged women. Study design: The sample for this cross-sectional study comprised 117 women (aged 60–64 years) who participated in the Finnish Retirement and Aging study. Main Outcome Measures: Arterial health was measured according to the participants’ pulse wave velocity (PWV), ankle-brachial index (ABI), blood pressure, and pulse pressure. Sexual function was measured using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), which resulted in a total score and five sub-scores. Associations were examined using multivariable regression analyses, which considered relationship happiness, menopausal hormone therapy, smoking, alcohol use, body mass index, and depressive symptoms. Results: Higher diastolic blood pressure was associated with a higher total FSFI score (β=0.213, p=0.013) and with higher desire (β=0.020, p=0.008), arousal (β=0.037, p=0.034), satisfaction (β=0.025, p=0.026), and pain (β=0.050, p=0.018) sub-scores. Also, higher ABI was associated with higher satisfaction sub-score (β=2.135, p=0.012) and lower pulse pressure with higher orgasm sub-score (β=0.031, p=0.037). After Bonferroni correction the associations were no longer statistically significant. Systolic blood pressure and pulse wave velocity were not associated with sexual function. Conclusions: This study suggested a plausible association between higher diastolic blood pressure and good female sexual function in late-middle-aged women.

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