Rapid CommunicationsSafety and efficacy of sildenafil in postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction
Section snippets
Study subjects and design
Thirty-three postmenopausal women with self-described sexual dysfunction for a minimum of 6 months were enrolled into this open-label, prospective study. Patients were self-referred and not randomized. Each patient had to be in a stable monogamous relationship with a male partner that had begun at least 6 months earlier. The study was approved and monitored by the institutional review board.
Exclusion criteria included significant cardiovascular disease, major psychiatric disorder not well
Results
The demographic characteristics of the women studied are listed in Table I. The most common symptoms reported by the patients included decreased arousal in 18 (55%), decreased lubrication in 17 (52%), diminished ability or inability to achieve orgasm in 12 (36%), and dyspareunia in 7 (21%).
Of the group, 30 women (91%) completed the study and were available for follow-up at 3 months. The mean baseline IFSF score before therapy was 24.8 ± 9.8. The mean usage of sildenafil was 3.1 ± 1.4 times per
Comment
There has been a dramatic increase in our understanding of the pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction during the past decade. Many of the neurovascular and biochemical events associated with both normal and abnormal erectile function have been described. Concomitantly, a host of therapeutic alternatives has emerged, with varying degrees of success.
More recently, attention has been directed toward understanding the neurovascular events associated with clitoral and vaginal function. Neurogenic
Conclusions
This is the first reported study examining the effects of sildenafil in women with sexual dysfunction. The results suggest that sildenafil is safe, although with limited efficacy in treating postmenopausal women with self-described sexual dysfunction. It should be emphasized that this study did not contain a placebo arm, was limited to postmenopausal women, and used only one dosage. Whether these results can be duplicated in larger and more varied populations remains to be determined.
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Cited by (0)
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S. A. Kaplan is on the Speaker’s Bureau for Pfizer, and his spouse is an employee of Pfizer.