{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T22:04:56Z","timestamp":1791669896270,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,11]],"date-time":"2024-07-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1720656000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Muscle and Nerve"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction\/Aims<\/jats:title><jats:p>Recent clinical guidelines recommend that adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who are on daily glucocorticoid treatment should be offered pubertal induction in order to ensure adult levels of sex hormones as they reach adulthood. However, it remains unclear how gonadal status, including androgen concentrations, impacts physical function and future fertility. The aim of this study was to give a voice to adults with DMD, exploring their perspectives around sexual health, hormone treatment, and fertility.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Qualitative data was collected from six adults with DMD through two online focus groups. Participants were recruited through Pathfinders Neuromuscular Alliance and Duchenne UK and invited to take part if they had DMD and were 18\u2009years of age or older. Conversations were transcribed verbatim and an interpretivist paradigm was used with thematic analysis.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>The main themes identified were (1) the need for communication and information about sexual health, (2) dealing with the potential fear of rejection, (3) physical barriers to relationships including sex, (4) testosterone supplementation in DMD, and (5) parenthood and fertility.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title><jats:p>We recommend that clinicians work with young people with DMD individually, to explore the benefits of testosterone treatment for them and their personal sexual health needs. If they are offered treatment, this should always be accompanied by the opportunity for psychological support. This work highlights the need for further research to establish the role of testosterone supplementation in adults with DMD and its effects on fertility and the value of specific emotional and practical support for sexual health.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/mus.28201","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,11]],"date-time":"2024-07-11T10:59:45Z","timestamp":1720695585000},"page":"402-408","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Sexual health and fertility in <scp>Duchenne<\/scp> muscular dystrophy\u2014An exploratory study"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"70","author":[{"given":"Janet","family":"Hoskin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of East London  London UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Timothy D","family":"Cheetham","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences Newcastle University  Newcastle Upon Tyne UK"},{"name":"Department of Paediatric Endocrinology Royal Victoria Infirmary  Newcastle upon Tyne UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rod T","family":"Mitchell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Reproductive Health The University of Edinburgh, Institute for Regeneration and Repair  Edinburgh UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sze Choong","family":"Wong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Human Nutrition, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing University of Glasgow, Glasgow Royal Infirmary  Glasgow UK"},{"name":"Department of Paediatric Endocrinology Royal Hospital for Children  Glasgow UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6084-5174","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Claire L","family":"Wood","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences Newcastle University  Newcastle Upon Tyne UK"},{"name":"Department of Paediatric Endocrinology Royal Victoria Infirmary  Newcastle upon Tyne UK"},{"name":"John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust  Newcastle Upon Tyne UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_12_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1212\/wnl.0000000000000669"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nmd.2007.03.002"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1530\/EJE\u201020\u20100709"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/J.NMD.2021.09.007"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.physio.2004.03.004"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/09687599.2014.916607"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/09687599.2019.1584093"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2007.03.043"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/2043610616671062"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1080\/13638490400010191","article-title":"Adult life with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: observations among an emerging and unforeseen patient population","volume":"8","author":"Rahbek J","year":"2005","journal-title":"Pediatr Rehabil"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_12_1","volume-title":"The Disability Studies Reader","author":"Shakespeare T","year":"2006"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"382","DOI":"10.1177\/160940691301200118","article-title":"The integrated use of audio diaries, photography, and interviews in research with disabled young men","volume":"12","author":"Gibson BE","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int J Qual Methods"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1474\u20104422(18)30024\u20103"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_15_1","volume-title":"The Interpretation of Cultures. 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