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Association Between Type D Personality and Prognosis in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Since 1995, the association of type D personality and mortality in patients with cardiovascular diseases has been increasingly investigated.

Purpose

The aim of this meta-analysis was to integrate conflicting results and to examine possible moderators of this association.

Methods

Prospective studies assessing type D personality and hard endpoints were selected and pooled in meta-analyses. Cardiovascular diagnosis, type and quality of adjustment, and publication date were examined in moderator analyses.

Results

Twelve studies on patients with cardiovascular diseases (N = 5,341) were included. Pooled crude and adjusted effects demonstrated a significant association of type D personality and hard endpoints (odds ratio (OR) of 2.28 (95% CI [1.43–3.62]), adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 2.24 (95% CI [1.37–3.66])). The OR decreased over time (OR 5.02 to OR 1.54). There was no association in congestive heart failure patients.

Conclusions

More recent methodologically sound studies suggest that early type D studies had overestimated the prognostic relevance.

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Conflicts of Interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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No external funding was received for this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Leipzig University of Applied Sciences, POB 301166, 04251, Leipzig, Germany

    Gesine Grande Dr. p.h. & Matthias Romppel M.Sc.

  2. Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), Division of Social and Behavioral Health Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Jürgen Barth Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Gesine Grande Dr. p.h.
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  2. Matthias Romppel M.Sc.
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  3. Jürgen Barth Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Gesine Grande Dr. p.h..

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Grande, G., Romppel, M. & Barth, J. Association Between Type D Personality and Prognosis in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. ann. behav. med. 43, 299–310 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-011-9339-0

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