Is the metabolic syndrome a risk factor for female sexual dysfunction in sexually active women?

Despite of the high prevalence, pathogenesis of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is still poorly understood. A consecutive series of sexually active women underwent a health investigation and completed a questionnaire on FSD. Metabolic syndrome (MS) was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation definition. A total of 538 women with a mean age of 44 years (range: 30-69) was analysed. The premenopausal group comprised 329 women (61.2%) with a mean age of 38.5 years; the postmenopausal cohort contained 209 women (38.8%) with a mean age of 52.7 years. In the total cohort (n=538) MS was present in 17.6%, 8.5% in the premenopausal group and 32.6% in the postmenopausal women. In premenopausal women, the MS was an independent risk factor for impaired sexual desire (P=0.03) with an age-adjusted odds ratio of 3.3 (95% confidence interval: 1.5-7.3). In premenopausal female sexual life, the MS represents an independent role via its correlation to impaired desire.