Temperament and Character Profiles of End Stage Renal Disease Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis

Temperament and character profiles of end stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis The aim of this study was to evaluate the temperament and character profiles of end stage renal disease patients (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis and to compare the results with those of healthy controls. The study population consisted of 39 hemodialysis patients (24 female, 15 male), 30 peritoneal dialysis patients (16 female, 14 male), and 39 age and gender-matched healthy control subjects (24 female, 15 male). All participants were instructed to complete a self-administered 240-item temperament and character inventory (TCI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Novelty Seeking and Self-Directedness scores were significantly lower in patients. There was no difference between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients regarding depression and anxiety scores. There were no significant correlations between TCI scores and laboratory variables. Studies in this area may lead to the development of specific and focused interventions for temperament and character profiles in HD and PD patients. We suggest that evaluation and treatment of ESRD patients should also include psychosomatic approaches in clinical practice.