Investigation of sexual life and sleep quality in patients with hereditary angioedema.

HAE patients had significantly higher ASEX scores (indicating greater sexual dysfunction) compared to healthy controls.

• 40 patients diagnosed with type 1 and type 2 HAE were compared to 40 healthy controls
• Participants completed the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX), which measures sexual dysfunction
• Higher ASEX scores indicate greater sexual dysfunction
• The difference in ASEX scores between the patient group and healthy control group was statistically significant

HAE patients had significantly higher PSQI scores (indicating poorer sleep quality) compared to healthy controls.

• The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess sleep quality
• Higher PSQI scores indicate worse sleep quality
• The patient group scored significantly higher on the PSQI than the healthy control group
• Both the ASEX and PSQI scores were simultaneously elevated in the HAE patient group relative to controls

In HAE patients, ASEX scores showed a significant positive correlation with both HADS-Depression and HADS-Anxiety scores.

• The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D)
• Higher depression scores were associated with higher ASEX scores (greater sexual dysfunction)
• Higher anxiety scores were also associated with higher ASEX scores
• This correlation was found specifically within the patient group

Increased frequency of monthly attacks was associated with higher HADS-Depression and HADS-Anxiety scores in HAE patients.

• As the number of monthly attacks increased, both HADS-D and HADS-A scores increased
• This suggests a dose-response relationship between attack frequency and psychological burden
• The chronic and unpredictable course of HAE was noted as a contributing factor to mental health impact

Higher HADS-Depression scores were associated with decreased sleep efficiency in HAE patients.

• An increase in HADS-D scores corresponded with a decrease in sleep efficiency
• Sleep efficiency is a component measured within the PSQI
• This finding links depressive symptoms directly to a specific aspect of sleep quality in HAE patients

A strong positive correlation was found between HADS-Anxiety scores and PSQI scores in HAE patients.

• Higher anxiety scores were associated with worse overall sleep quality (higher PSQI scores)
• The correlation was described as 'strong'
• This suggests anxiety is a key mediator between HAE and poor sleep quality

Longer disease duration, history of genital attacks, and decreased sleep quality were each significantly correlated with sexual dysfunction in HAE patients.

• Three distinct factors were identified as significantly correlated with sexual dysfunction: disease duration, genital attack history, and sleep quality
• History of genital attacks was specifically identified as a contributing factor to sexual dysfunction
• Decreased sleep quality (higher PSQI scores) was independently correlated with sexual dysfunction (higher ASEX scores)
• These findings were derived from a sample of 40 HAE patients followed in an Immunology and Allergy Clinic