Recently, the FokI polymorphism (rs2228570) in the vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) and conventional risk factors were associated with spine disorders in the Italian population, but without gender analysis. Two-hundred and sixty-seven patients (149 males, 118 females) with lumbar spine disorders were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 254 (127 males, 127 females) asymptomatic controls were enrolled. The exposure to putative risk factors was evaluated and FokI polymorphism was detected by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). An association between lumbar spine pathologies and higher than average age; overweight; family history; lower leisure physical activity; smoking habit; higher number of hours/day exposure to vibration and more sedentary or intense physical job demand was observed in male patients. In contrast, in females, only higher age, overweight, family history and lower leisure physical activity were risk factors. FF genotype was a 2-fold risk factor to develop discopathies and/or osteochondrosis concomitant with disc herniation for both gender patients, while heterozygous Ff was protective for females only. In males only ff genotype was protective for discopathies and/or osteochondrosis and F allele was a 2-fold risk factor for hernia; discopathies; discopathies and/or osteochondrosis. Sex-related differences in voluntary behaviors, exposure to environmental risks and genetic background could be crucial for a gender-differentiated management of patients with spine disorders.

Background: Pemphigus, an autoimmune blistering disease that affects the skin and mucous membranes, significantly impairs the quality of life (QoL) of affected individuals. While there are a variety of QoL measurement tools available for assessing this disease, there is a lack of studies that specifically evaluate the sexual QoL of patients with pemphigus.Objectives: This case–control study aims to investigate the impact of the disease on sexual activity as well as its overall effect on QoL.Materials and Methods: Fifty pemphigus patients, who were referred to the Dermatology Department at the University Hospital of Brescia in the period March 2019–September 2021, completed several QoL surveys, including the 36‐item Short Form Health survey (SF‐36), the 12‐Item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ‐12), the Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life (ABQOL) and either the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) or the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). The severity of the disease was assessed using the Pemphigus Disease Area Index (PDAI). Differences in QoL surveys between the case and control groups were analysed using either the t‐test or the Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test. The correlation between QoL surveys in pemphigus patients and disease severity were analysed using Spearman's coefficient (r).Results: The results revealed a marked impairment in overall QoL among patients with pemphigus compared to the healthy control subjects. Significant differences were observed in various domains of QoL, including physical health, mental well‐being, social functioning and, notably, sexual health.Furthermore, disease severity as evaluated by the PDAI showed correlations with specific aspects of health status, and disease‐specific QoL demonstrated associations with nearly all domains of health status. No significant correlations were found between sexual activity, mucosal involvement or steroid therapy and PDAI scores or disease‐specific QoL measures.Conclusion: These findings emphasize the significant impact of pemphigus on patients' well‐being, with particular attention to the impaired sexual activity.