Does sexual dysfunction correlate with deterioration of somatic sensory system in diabetic women?

To evaluate genital and extragenital somatic sensory system in diabetic women using biothesiometry and investigate the relation with sexual dysfunction. A total of 30 diabetic women and 20 normal sexually active women as a control group were evaluated with a detailed medical and sexual history including Index of Female Sexual Function (IFSF) questionnaire. Somatic sensory system of all women enrolled to the study was assessed by biothesiometry and threshold sensory values of nine genital sites and 14 extragenital sites were analyzed. The IFSF score in diabetic women was 23.6 while it was 38.3 in the control group (&<0.0005). For each genital as well as extragenital sites, the mean biothesiometric values were significantly higher in diabetics. The sensation of introitus vagina, labium minora and clitoris were found to be the most deteriorated genital sites in diabetic women. The difference between diabetic women with or without female sexual dysfunction (FSD) was not significant for biothesiometric values. Our data indicate that, somatic sensory system is affected by diabetes however sexual dysfunction does not always manifest.