The association of personality trait on treatment outcomes in patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: an exploratory study.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the association of personality traits with the baseline clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS).


METHODS
Subjects were evaluated at baseline and at week 12 following routine treatment for CP/CPPS using the Korean version of the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) to measure the severity of CP/CPPS; the Korean version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to assess depression; the Korean version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) to evaluate somatization; and the Korean version of the EuroQol Questionnaire-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), specifically the EQ-5D utility index and the EQ-5D visual analog scale (EQ-5D VAS), to assess quality of life (QoL). Personality traits including extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness were determined at baseline using the 44-item Big Five Inventory (BFI). The influence of personality traits on the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with CP/CPPS was assessed using relevant statistical analyses.


RESULTS
Neuroticism was associated with a significantly poorer treatment response and higher levels of depression and somatization. Extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness had some influence on clinical characteristics but openness did not affect overall symptoms or the treatment response in patients with CP/CPPS.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that neuroticism may be the most important personality trait associated with treatment response and the severity of depression and somatization in patients with CP/CPPS. However, our exploratory findings should be confirmed by additional studies with adequate power and improved designs.
Department of Urology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jun Sung
JS
Koh
Department of Psychiatry, Seoul Metropolitan Eunpyeong Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Hyo Jung
HJ
Ko
Department of Psychiatry, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Sheng-Min
SM
Wang
Department of Urology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Kang Joon
KJ
Cho
Department of Urology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Joon Chul
JC
Kim
Department of Psychiatry, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Soo-Jung
SJ
Lee
Department of Psychiatry, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Duram, NC, USA. Electronic address: pae@catholic.ac.kr.
Chi-Un
CU
Pae
Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Alessandro
A
Serretti
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000075384:Neuroticism; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality / Q000145:classification*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome; Clinical variable; Depression; Improvement; Personality trait; Response; Somatization; Treatment outcomes