New research published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism finds a high prevalence of type D personality among people with hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. Between 10-15% of people with treated hypothyroidism experience persistent symptoms despite achieving normal thyroid hormone levels, and the underlying causes are unclear.
Type D personality, which is characterized by pessimism, worry, stress, negative emotions, and social withdrawal, is sometimes associated with poor health status and symptom burden, but this association has not previously been studied in people with hypothyroidism.
The researchers of the current study surveyed over 3,500 people with self-reported, treated hypothyroidism and found over half of these people had type D personality questions to better understand their quality of life and why some patients were dissatisfied with their treatment outcomes.
“We think that there are two likely interpretations, which may not be mutually exclusive - type D personality and hypothyroidism share similar underlying causes, or people with type D personality may perceive treatment outcomes more negatively.”
They confirmed some patients with hypothyroidism were dissatisfied with their care and experienced persistent unexplained symptoms. People with hypothyroidism who had type D personalities had particularly high levels of anxiety, depression, dissatisfaction with treatment, persistent symptoms, and poor quality of life.
“Further research is needed to confirm our findings and determine if it is possible to predict how newly diagnosed patients with hypothyroidism will respond to treatment based on personality traits. If so, studies could be designed specifically for such patients to determine if interventions can improve outcomes,” Perros said.
Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions. (Newswise/TAB)
