Association between conscientiousness and peritoneal dialysis‐related peritonitis

Abstract

Aim: Peritonitis is a critical complication in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.Patient characteristics, especially conscientiousness, potentially influence self-care activity. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the peritonitis risk and the patient conscientiousness.Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at three Japanese medical centres in 2018. Adult patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis were evaluated for conscientiousness with the Japanese version of the Ten-Item Personality Inventory. We followed the patients from peritoneal dialysis induction retrospectively on chart review. The primary outcome was time to first episode of peritonitis after initiation of peritoneal dialysis in the entire observation period. Hazard ratios were estimated using a Cox model adjusted for potential confounders.Results: Among 111 patients enrolled, 32 experienced peritonitis. The patients were divided into the more conscientious group (n = 64) and less conscientious group (n = 47) based on a mean conscientiousness score of 3.991. Additionally, less conscientious patients tended to be at higher risk for peritonitis during the entire study period (hazard ratio adjusted for age and sex, 1.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.98-4.03; p = .057). The increased risk in the less conscientious group was statistically significant in the first year (adjusted hazard ratio, 6.98; 95% confidence interval, 1.42-34.40; p = .017). Conclusion:Less conscientious patients significantly have shorter peritonitis-free survival in the early phase after peritoneal dialysis induction although not significantly during the entire study period. Personality trait assessment using the Ten-Item Personality Inventory could be helpful in educating and following up patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

Personality traits and peritoneal dialysis patients’ prognosis

“…It can ultimately improve the prognosis of patients by affecting their daily behaviors such as dietary patterns, medication habits, and PD procedures. Early studies by Japanese scholars [ 14 ] have revealed a close relationship between conscientiousness and peritonitis in PD patients. Our research also demonstrates that peritonitis risk is much higher in PD patients with lower conscientiousness scores than in those with higher conscientiousness scores.…”

Association of Personality Traits and Self-Care Behaviors in People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…It has been suggested that conscientiousness is a dutiful, achievement-oriented, orderly, and accepting of the rules trait [ 80 ], and therefore, people having this trait may show greater compliance with self-care activities and risk of diabetes [ 75 , 81 , 82 ]. Many other individual studies of people with chronic conditions other than diabetes consistently also found positive health benefits of being highly conscientious [ 76 , 83 - 85 ]. The observed results are also consistent with the conclusions of a systematic review that included 17 studies of adults with type 2 diabetes and found weak to moderate associations between weight management and personality traits such as neuroticism and conscientiousness [ 73 ].…”