SEXUAL EXPERIENCE OF THE CHRONIC PERITONEAL-DIALYSIS PATIENT

The actual and desired frequency of intercourse was studied in 68 rand omly selected chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) patients. The results were correlated with standard measures of depression (Beck Depression Inventory), anxiety (Patient Related Anxiety Scale), physical symptoms (Kupfer-Detre System 2), adequacy of dialysis (KT/V-urea) and nutriti on (serum albumin level). In addition, patients assessed their quality of life (PAQOL) using an 1 to 10 analog scale. The mean +/- SD age of all patients studied was 54 +/- 11 yr, the mean dialysis duration was 24 +/- 24 months; 46% of the patients were female, and 34% were diabe tic. Sixty-three percent of the patients reported never having interco urse (Group 1), 19% reported having intercourse less than or equal to two times per month (Group II), and 18% reported having intercourse > two times per month (Group III). Dialysis duration, serum albumin leve l, KT/V-urea, and age were not significantly different among the three groups. Nearly 50% of patients in Group I desired to have intercourse , and 54% of the patients in Group II desired to have intercourse more frequently. Group I patients had significantly higher depression and anxiety scores, more physical symptoms, a poorer overall PAQOL, and le ss satisfaction with their sexual activity than Group III patients. Th ese results suggest that there is a high prevalence of sexual difficul ties in CPD patients. Patients not having intercourse have a poorer qu ality of life and higher degree of depression and anxiety than patient s having intercourse more than two times per month.