Personality Characteristics among Patients Waiting for Liver or Kidney Transplants

Introduction: Personality characteristics are believed to predict post-transplant adherence and outcome. However, data concerning the prevalence and type of personality disorders (PDs) among transplant populations are sparse. Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence and types of PDs among patients waiting for liver or kidney transplants, to compare the results obtained between the two groups and to identify predictors of the prevalence of PDs. Method: In a prospective cohort study, 629 patients waiting for liver (n = 196) or kidney (n = 433) transplants were assessed by the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire, fourth edition (PDQ-4+). Results: The 629 pre-transplant patients were 46.1 years old on average (SD: 11.5). The PDQ total score was 25.5 (SD: 13.7). 36.5% had a total score equal to or greater than 30. Paranoid (42.1%), avoidant (31.1%) and obsessive-compulsive (29.8%) were the most common possible PDs identified. Patients waiting for a kidney transplant had a higher total score than those waiting for a liver transplant (p < 0.001) and they also had significantly more paranoid (p = 0.001), obsessive-compulsive (p = 0.002) and avoidant (p = 0.001) PDs. Comment: In case of possible PDs, an assessment of other clinical variables for helping patients is needed so that a specific treatment could be offered to patients at the time of their inclusion on the waiting list, during the waiting period and after the organ transplant.