The impact of renal transplantation on sexual function in males with end-stage kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Introduction Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) on dialysis have a special profile, including constant uremic status and frequent comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and coronary artery disease, as well as complications related to dialysis. All listed factors can influence or be the cause of sexual dysfunction in both men and women. There is a high incidence (70%) and prevalence (82%) of erectile dysfunction in men with CKD. Purpose In this meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the impact of renal transplantation in patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease and erectile dysfunction, using the same study population before and after transplantation. Data sources: we searched MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, Scopus and Cochrane Library (Inception to August 2022) and clinicaltrials.gov (Inception to August 2022) without language restrictions. Study selection: eligible studies evaluated the same patients with end-stage kidney disease before and after renal transplantation using IEEF questionnaire. Data extraction: reviewers working independently and in duplicate extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. Data synthesis: the final analysis included 28 cohort studies, comprising 2252 participants. Results Our results showed improvement in erectile function after renal transplantation. Our study shows a 13% improvement in erectile dysfunction after renal transplantation. Conclusions The results of this meta-analysis would suggest improvement in erectile dysfunction after renal transplantation.