Sexual dysfunction in male patients diagnosed with Axial Spondyloarthritis using biological agent

Spondyloarthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder involving the spine and sacroiliac joints, with progressive spinal stiffness and inflammatory low back pain. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a prototype of the disorders in the spondyloarthropathy group. The most prominent symptom of AS is a systemic disorder that not only affects the sacroiliac joints and spine, but also has extra-articular findings. Spondyloarthritis disease causes many physical and psychological problems. Apart from this, biological agents used by patients may affect erectile function. The aim of this study is to determine erectile dysfunction in patients using biological agents. 200 patients, 100 patients diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis using biological agents and 100 patients with ankylosing spondylitis not using biological agents, were included in the study. Demographic information of the patients was recorded. The International Erectile Function Index questionnaire was administered to all patients. The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) was applied to determine the general health status of all patients. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) was applied to the patients' anxiety and depression status. Although 86% of the study participants who used biological agents had erectile dysfunction, erectile dysfunction was detected in 69% of those who did not use biological agents. Erectile dysfunction was found to be statistically significantly higher in those who used biological agents than in those who did not (p≤0.01). According to the Nottingham Health Profile, no statistically significant results were found in all subheadings of pain, emotional reactions, sleep, social isolation, physical activity and energy between those who used and those who did not use biological agents (p≥0.05). When the hospital anxiety and depression scores were compared between the groups, the depression mean of the group using biological agents was5,92±4,14, while the mean depression of those who did not use biological agents was6,47±3,51 and was not significant (p≥0.05). When the groups were compared in terms of anxiety, the mean of those using biological agents was3,28±3,40 while the mean of those not using biological agents was 2,52±2,54, which was found to be statistically significant (p≤0.05). In conclusion; Erectile dysfunction was found to be statistically significantly higher in Spondyloarthropathy patients using biological agents than in those not using biological agents. The use of biological agents has not been found to have any effect on general health conditions.Anxiety status was significantly affected in those who used biological agents compared to those who did not use biological agents. Key words: Spondyloarthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Biological Agent Erectile Dysfunction, Depression, Anxiety