Effects of exercise on sexual activity and function
Measure | Baseline | 3 months | Adjusted change | P value* | ||
Exercise | Control | Exercise | Control | Mean (95% CI) | ||
IIEF | ||||||
Erectile functioning (n=17 to 20) | 3.4 (7.2) | 2.7 (5.1) | 3.7 (7.2) | 3.8 (6.2) | −1.0 (−3.7 to 1.8) | 0.484 |
Orgasmic functioning (n=17 to 20) | 2.0 (1.8) | 2.1 (1.6) | 0.5 (1.2) | 1.3 (2.8) | −0.6 (−1.9 to 0.7) | 0.349 |
Sexual desire (n=16 to 20) | 3.4 (2.1) | 3.5 (1.9) | 3.2 (2.4) | 3.2 (1.7) | 0.2 (− 0.7 to 1.1) | 0.644 |
Intercourse satisfaction (n=17 to 20) | 0.9 (2.9) | 1.0 (2.6) | 1.6 (3.5) | 1.5 (2.6) | 0.1 (−1.4 to 1.6) | 0.893 |
Overall satisfaction (n=15 to 20) | 4.4 (2.8) | 4.3 (3.2) | 4.8 (2.8) | 3.8 (2.4) | 1.3 (−0.4 to 2.9) | 0.122 |
EPIC | ||||||
Sexual summary (n=18 to 23) | 28.8 (16.6) | 15.9 (14.9)† | 24.2 (15.0) | 18.3 (19.3) | −4.1 (−12.2 to 3.9) | 0.304 |
EORTC QLQ-PR25 | ||||||
Sexual activity (n=19 to 26) | 22.2 (27.3) | 20.1 (19.6) | 23.7 (23.7) | 15.4 (19.9) | 4.3 (−7.2 to 15.9) | 0.455 |
Urinary symptoms (n=20 to 25) | 16.2 (16.1) | 20.1 (17.5) | 13.9 (11.9) | 22.0 (14.3) | −3.7 (−8.7 to 1.2) | 0.079 |
Bowel symptoms (n=18 to 25) | 4.4 (7.1) | 6.3 (9.8) | 6.9 (8.6) | 6.0 (9.4) | 1.4 (−3.7 to 6.5) | 0.585 |
Treatment symptoms (n=19 to 26) | 13.5 (14.8) | 17.7 (15.3) | 16.9 (13.0) | 21.7 (14.2) | −3.2 (−10.4 to 4.1) | 0.384 |
Values are the mean (SD), and adjusted change and 95% CI are from untransformed data. Numbers in parentheses represent the number of exercise and control patients.
*Baseline differences were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test and intervention effects using ANCOVA with p values derived from log-transformed data.
†Statistically significant difference at baseline.
ANCOVA, Analysis of Covariance; EORTC QLQ-PR25, The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer prostate cancer-specific module; EPIC, Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite; IIEF, International Index of Erectile Function.