Objectives Translate, adapt and validate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis a self-assessment questionnaire of female sexual function: (FFSI) The Female Sexual Function Index Methods It is a cross-sectional study including 31 patients with rheumatoid arthritis according to the 1987 ACR criteria in period of sexual activity. The FSFI is a self-administered questionnaire that assesses sexual function during the past 4 weeks, it is composed of six domains respectively assessing desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain. The FSFI total score varies between 1.2 and 36, a score ≤ 26 defines sexual dysfunction. Translation and adaptation of the FSFI in classical Arabic was performed according to international recommendations for the translation of questionnaires (translation, back translation, committee of expert). The acceptability, reliability, internal and external construct validity of the arabic version were evaluated. External construct validity was assessed by analyzing the correlation between this instrument and the quality of life of patients assessed by the SF-36 (short form health survey), anxiety and depression assessed by the HAD (hospital anxiety and depression scale) Results The average age of our patients was 45 ± 9.10 with a median disease progression of 60 months (24-144). The mean DAS28 was 4.59 ± 1.81 and the median HAQ was 0. 75 (0.25 to 1.22). Reliability was excellent, the intraclass correlation coefficient of FSFI: ICC was 0.995 (95% CI :0.98-0 .99). Reproducibility measured by Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.997. we did not find significant correlation between the FSFI total score and the different areas of SF36 (physical activity r = 0.23, p = 0.22) (limitation due to the physical state r = 0, 30, p = 0.22) (limitation due to mental health r = 0.30, p = 0.1) (vitality r = 0.27, p = 0.14) (mental health r=0.06, p = 0.14); (pain r = 0.25, p = 0.17), perceived health r = 0.31, p = 0.09) except for the field (relationship with other living r = 0.740, p <0.001). In addition, we did not notice any correlation with areas of HAD (HAD anxiety r = -0.6, p = 0.75) (HAD depression r = -0.27, p = 0.27). In the other hand a good correlation was found between the FSFI score and overall sexual satisfaction of patients as measured by a visual analogue scale from 0 to 10 cm (Pearson r = 0.50, p = 0.01) Conclusions The psychometric properties of the FSFI are good. This tool translated into Arabic and may be useful in the evaluation of female sexual function of both Moroccan and Arab women.

Lahlou, R., et al. (2013). "Cross cultural adaptation and validation of the arabic version of the self-assessment questionnaire of sexual function: The female sexual function index (FSFI)." Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 72.

http://ard.bmj.com/content/72/Suppl_3/A864.1