Evaluación de la función sexual en pacientes con obesidad, antes y después de la cirugía bariátrica

Introduction Obesity affects physical, psychological and social aspects. Recently, researchers have begun to study the relationship between sexual function and the effect of interventions aimed at reducing weight. Objective To describe the changes induced by bariatric surgery in sexual function in a group of obese patients. Methods Prospective observational study of patients with morbid obesity and bariatric surgery. Sexual function was evaluated in men with the abbreviated sexual health inventory for men questionnaire (SHIM) and the self-esteem and relationship questionnaire (SEAR), and in women with the Female Sexual Function Index (IFSF). Quality of life with the SF-12 questionnaire. Nonparametric statistical tests were used. Results 19 patients were included. 13 women with an average age of 45.3 years (22-59) and 6 men with an average of 41 years (36-54). The average follow-up was 19 months (13.1-25.9). For IFSF, all the domains showed improvement, although desire variable was the only one with statistically significant difference (p = 0.027). The scores obtained with the SHIM scale show a decrease in the severity of erectile dysfunction from 16.8 (8-21) to 22.16 (18-25) (p = 0.059). In quality of life, women and men reported a statistically significant increase (p = 0.036 and p = 0.002, respectively). Conclusions Bariatric surgery has a highly favorable impact on quality of life and positive changes in all domains of sexual function of men and women. It is possible that these changes are influenced by physical and psychosocial variables that should be measured with future research.