Association between conscientiousness and peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Psychology
• Medical Sociology

Background:

• Peritonitis is a serious complication for patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD).
• Patient personality traits, particularly conscientiousness, may impact self-care adherence and health outcomes.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for improving PD patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between patient conscientiousness and the risk of developing peritonitis.
• To determine if personality traits influence peritonitis-free survival in PD patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study at three Japanese medical centers (2018).
• Assessed conscientiousness using the Japanese version of the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI).
• Analyzed time to first peritonitis episode using Cox regression, adjusting for confounders.

Main Results:

• 111 adult PD patients were analyzed; 32 developed peritonitis.
• Less conscientious patients showed a trend towards higher peritonitis risk over the entire study (aHR=1.99, p=0.057).
• A statistically significant increased risk of peritonitis was observed in less conscientious patients during the first year (aHR=6.98, p=0.017).

Conclusions:

• Lower conscientiousness is associated with significantly shorter peritonitis-free survival in the early phase of PD.
• While not significant over the entire period, the early trend highlights a critical window.
• Personality trait assessment via TIPI may aid in targeted education and follow-up for PD patients.