The impact of type D personality on health-related quality of life in patients with symptomatic haemorrhoids

INTRODUCTION Haemorrhoids are one of the most common reasons that patients seek consultation from a colon and rectal surgeon. Health-related quality of life (HrQoL) is a significant factor in describing the burden of illness and the impact of treatment in patients with gastrointestinal disease. Type D (distressed) personality is defined as the co-occurrence of negative affect and social inhibition. AIM To assess the prevalence of type D personality in patients with haemorrhoids and to investigate whether the presence of a type D personality would affect HrQoL in patients with haemorrhoids. MATERIAL AND METHODS One hundred and six outpatients with symptomatic haemorrhoids with no psychiatric comorbidity were consecutively enrolled, along with 96 healthy controls. The Type D Scale (DS14) and the General Health Survey Short Form-36 (SF-36) were used in the collection of data. RESULTS Of 106 patients evaluated, 29.2% met criteria for type D personality. Patients with haemorrhoids scored lower on bodily pain and vitality dimensions of SF-36 than did healthy subjects (p < 0.001). Patients with a type D personality were found to score lower on bodily pain domain of HrQoL than patients without a type D personality. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant independent association of type D personality with bodily pain dimension of the SF-36 in patients with symptomatic haemorrhoids (r = -0.315, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Type D personality was associated with increased perceived bodily pain in patients with haemorrhoids. Consideration of type D personality construct personality traits could improve risk stratification in research and clinical practice in this patient group.