Sexual Distress and Quality of Life in Women With Genital Erosive Lichen Planus—A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to assess sexual distress and quality of life in women with moderate-to-severe genital erosive lichen planus (GELP).

Materials and Methods: Thirty-six women with GELP were recruited at the Oslo University Hospital in Norway. The diagnosis was confirmed by a dermatologist with experience in vulvovaginal disease and based on characteristic clinical changes in the vulva and/or vagina, and biopsy results if available. Clinical severity was measured using the GELP score with a score ≥5 required for inclusion. Sexual distress was measured using the revised Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS-R), and quality of life was measured using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Topical steroid treatment was allowed.

Results: The mean FSDS-R score was 22.7 (range 0–45) with 27 women reporting high scores for sexual distress (FSDS-R score >15). The mean DLQI score was 8.8 (range 1–19) with 15 women reporting a moderate impact (DLQI score 6–10), and 12 women reporting a very large impact (DLQI score 11–20) of GELP on their quality of life. No clear correlations were found between disease severity assessed by GELP scores and FSDS-R or DLQI scores. Age was not correlated with FSDS-R or DLQI scores.

Conclusions: These results demonstrate that a substantial number of women with GELP experience sexual distress and a reduced quality of life.