Psychosocial stress, personality, and the severity of chronic hepatitis C.
This cross-sectional study examined the association between the severity of chronic hepatitis C and the type 1 personality, which has been shown by Grossarth-Maticek to be strongly related to the incidence of cancer and mortality. Sixty-nine patients with chronic hepatitis C completed the Stress Inventory, a self-report questionnaire to measure psychosocial stress and personality, and were classified into three groups according to hepatitis severity: group A, chronic hepatitis C with a normal serum alanine aminotransferase level; group B, chronic hepatitis C with an elevated alanine aminotransferase level; and group C, liver cirrhosis. Each of four scales related to the type 1 personality--low sense of control, object dependence of loss, unfulfilled need for acceptance, and altruism--was significantly and positively associated with hepatitis severity. The type 1 score, calculated as the average of these scales, was also strongly related to hepatitis severity (p<0.0001), and adjustment for age, sex, education level, smoking, drinking, and duration brought no attenuation into the association. Chronic psychosocial stress relevant to the type 1 personality may also influence the course of chronic hepatitis C.
Nagano
Jun
J
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. nagano@ihs.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Nagase
Shoji
S
Sudo
Nobuyuki
N
Kubo
Chiharu
C
D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology*; D011584:Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000410:Alanine Transaminase