The impact of abnormalities in the vascular bed of the external genitalia and vagina on female sexuality is not well defined because of some methodological difficulties in correctly assessing vascular changes of genitalia in women. Transmucosal oxygen tension (TmPO2) represents a precise measure of oxygen partial pressure at the clitoris surface and is expression of clitoral tissue perfusion. Aim of the study was to correlate TmPO2 with female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in healthy women in order to evaluate the impact of clitoral vascularization on female sexual health. Twenty-seven healthy, heterosexual, and sexually active women of reproductive age (mean age: 31.18 ± 4.71) were enrolled in the study. TmPO2 was assessed in every woman. In addition, all the women filled out the Female sexual function index (FSFI). After adjustment for some covariates (age, BMI, and smoking), TmPO2 significantly correlated with FSFI total score (r = 0.4261; p = 0.0379) and with arousal (r = 0.3239; p = 0.0390), lubrication (r = 0.4345; p = 0.0339), orgasm (r = 0.4092; p = 0.0471), and satisfaction (r = 0.4456; p = 0.0291) scores. In addition, TmPO2 was significantly lower in the FSD than in the NO FSD group (28.4 ± 14.5 versus 48.1 ± 25.1 mmHg; p = 0.0416). This study first shows that in healthy women of reproductive age clitoral tissue perfusion, as assessed by TmPO2, correlates very well with FSD and in particular with arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction. Further studies should confirm our data and test TmPO2 as potential predictor for cardiovascular disease and metabolic conditions in women.

由于正确评估女性生殖器血管变化的方法学上的一些困难，外生殖器和阴道血管床异常对女性性行为的影响尚不明确。跨粘膜氧张力（TmPO2）代表了阴蒂表面氧分压的精确测量值，是阴蒂组织灌注的表达。该研究的目的是将TmPO2与健康女性的女性性功能障碍（FSD）相关联，以评估阴蒂血管形成对女性性健康的影响。本研究招募了27名健康，异性恋和性活跃的育龄妇女（平均年龄：31.18±4.71）。TmPO2在每位妇女中进行了评估。此外，所有妇女都填写了女性性功能指数（FSFI）。r  = 0.4261；p  = 0.0379）并具有唤醒（r  = 0.3239; p  = 0.0390），润滑（r  = 0.4345; p  = 0.0339），性高潮（r  = 0.4092; p  = 0.0471）和满意度（r  = 0.4456; p  = 0.0291）分数。此外，FSD中的TmPO2明显低于NO FSD组（28.4±14.5 vs 48.1±25.1 mmHg；p = 0.0416）。这项研究首先表明，通过TmPO2评估，在生育年龄的健康女性中，阴蒂组织灌注与FSD密切相关，特别是与唤醒，润滑，性高潮和满意度有关。进一步的研究应证实我们的数据并测试TmPO2作为女性心血管疾病和代谢状况的潜在预测指标。