Male Sexual Health and Reproduction in Cutaneous Immune-Mediated Diseases: A Systematic Review

Luis F Perez-Garcia; Radboud Dolhain; Bernke Te Winkel; Juan P Carrizales; Wichor M Bramer; Saskia Vorstenbosch; Eugene van Puijenbroek; Mieke Hazes; Martijn B A van Doorn

doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2020.07.004

Male Sexual Health and Reproduction in Cutaneous Immune-Mediated Diseases: A Systematic Review

Sex Med Rev. 2021 Jul;9(3):423-433. doi: 10.1016/j.sxmr.2020.07.004. Epub 2020 Sep 1.

Authors

Luis F Perez-Garcia¹, Radboud Dolhain², Bernke Te Winkel³, Juan P Carrizales⁴, Wichor M Bramer⁵, Saskia Vorstenbosch³, Eugene van Puijenbroek⁶, Mieke Hazes², Martijn B A van Doorn⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Rheumatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: l.perez@erasmusmc.nl.
² Department of Rheumatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
³ Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.
⁴ Servicio de Reumatología, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Hospital Universitario, Monterrey, Mexico.
⁵ Medical Library, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
⁶ Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands; Research Institute of Pharmacy, PharmacoTherapy, Epidemiology and Economics, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
⁷ Department of Dermatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

PMID: 32883623
DOI: 10.1016/j.sxmr.2020.07.004

Abstract

Introduction: Information about the possible effects of cutaneous immune-mediated diseases (cIMDs) on male sexual function and reproduction is scarce. Factors known to impair sexual health and reproduction, such as inflammation, medication use, and hypogonadism, can be present in a significant proportion of male patients with cIMD.

Objectives: To systematically review the literature for the influence of paternal cIMD on many aspects of male sexual and reproductive health, such as sexual function, reproductive hormones, fertility, and pregnancy and offspring outcomes.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed. The searches combined keywords regarding male sexual function and fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and offspring's health with a list of cIMDs.

Results: The majority of the identified studies included patients with psoriasis (22 of 27), and sexual function was the most common outcome of interest (20 of 27). For patients diagnosed with psoriasis, the prevalence of male sexual dysfunction reported in these studies ranged from 34 to 81%. Hypogonadism in patients with psoriasis was reported in 2 of 3 studies. Sperm analysis abnormalities in patients with psoriasis were reported in 3 of 4 studies. No information about the effect of paternal disease on pregnancy and offspring outcomes was identified.

Conclusions: Disease activity in psoriasis might play an important role in the development of sexual dysfunction, hypogonadism, and abnormal sperm quality. For the other cIMD included in this review, there is insufficient information regarding male sexual and reproductive health to draw firm conclusions. More research is needed to understand the association between cIMD and impaired male sexual and reproductive health. Perez-Garcia LF, Dolhain R, te Winkel B, et al. Male Sexual Health and Reproduction in Cutaneous Immune-Mediated Diseases: A Systematic Review. Sex Med Rev 2021;9:423-433.

Keywords: Immune-Mediated Cutaneous Diseases; Inflammation; Male; Sexual Dysfunction; Sexual Function; Sexual and Reproductive Health.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Female
Fertility
Humans
Infertility, Male*
Male
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Outcome
Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological*
Sexual Health*