Male sexual dysfunction and liver fibrosis : Are there other secret Players?

Background: The effect of advanced liver disease on male sexual health is wellestablished, yet data on sexual disturbancesin liver fibrosis are scant.Aim: This work aimed to investigate the sexual dysfunctions in male participants with varying stages of fibrosis.Patients and Methods: A sample of 400 male patients with varying grades of liver fibrosis were subjected to noninvasivetransient elastography (FibroScan) and evaluation of sexual functions using International Index of Erectile Functions (IIEF)and its short form.Results: Among studied participants, 57.75% had sexual dysfunction, with a significantly reduced IIEF score accompanyingrising stage of fibrosis (r=0.513, P<0.001). The IIEF score was significantly positively correlated with elevated serum albumin levels (r=0.433, P< 0.001) and hemoglobin levels (r=0.334, P=0.009).Conclusion: A high percent of patients with liver fibrosis were found to have erectile dysfunction, the severity of which was directly proportional to the stage of fibrosis. Lower serum albumin and hemoglobin levels appear to be attributes.