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Sexual Dysfunctions Associated with Proton Pump Inhibitors: Insights from VigiBase, the World Health Organization Pharmacovigilance Database

Crisafulli S, Ciccimarra F, Scapini F, L'Abbate L, Jannini EA, De Martino MC, Giannetta E, Mestres J et al.

Drug safety, 2026

2 citations

Abstract

Background: Over the years, several observational studies and case reports have been published hypothesizing a potential association between the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and sexual dysfunctions in both male and female patients.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the potential association between PPI use and sexual dysfunction onset using VigiBase, the World Health Organization international pharmacovigilance database.

Methods: All individual case safety reports of sexual dysfunctions containing PPIs (i.e. omeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, pantoprazole and esomeprazole) as suspected or interacting drugs until 4 September, 2024 were selected from VigiBase using the Standardised MedDRA Query "Sexual dysfunction". A descriptive analysis of the selected individual case safety reports was carried out. Potentially new safety signals were identified through a disproportionality analysis and calculated as a reporting odds ratio (ROR) along with a 95% confidence interval (CI), which were adjusted via Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. To account for age-related effects on sexual functions, a subgroup analysis was carried out by restricting the study population only to patients aged from 18 to 64 years.

Results: A total of 420,598 individual case safety reports concerning PPIs were collected in VigiBase during the study period. Of these, 841 containing at least one Preferred Term included in the "Sexual dysfunction" Standardised MedDRA Query reporting…

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