A Systematic Review on Prevalence and Assessment of Sexual Dysfunction in Vitiligo.

OBJECTIVE

Vitiligo is a common depigmenting disorder with significant psychosocial consequences. Vitiligo has been associated with psychological disorders such as depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, and sexual dysfunction (SD). In recent years, there is an increase in the number of studies looking into the impact of vitiligo on sexual functions. This systematic review investigates the assessment and prevalence of SD in vitiligo patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We carried out a systematic search for observational studies on the prevalence of SD in vitiligo patients. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) guidelines were used to prepare this systematic review. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library databases.

RESULTS

We observed 308 studies for screening. Finally, 12 studies that meet the eligibility criteria were included in this study. The prevalence of SD ranged from 2.7 to 82.0%. Most of the studies used the dermatology life quality index (DLQI) to assess SD. Our findings also show that vitiligo patients were more probably experience symptoms of depression and anxiety, one of the risk factors for SD.

CONCLUSION

Psychological comorbidities are related to a high risk of SD in vitiligo patients. Further prospective longitudinal studies are required to investigate the causal factors for SD in vitiligo patients.