Glaucoma patients more likely to suffer from hysteria

Patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG) are more likely to have abnormal Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) scores in the areas that focus upon concerns of somatic complaints and poor health, according to a study published in the December 2007 issue of the Journal of Glaucoma.

Michele Lim from the University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California, USA and colleagues conducted a study to characterize the personality profile of glaucoma subjects. A total of 108 subjects, 56 with OAG and 52 controls, were given the MMPI-2 test, in addition to performing automated perimetry.

Subjects with OAG had significantly higher hypochondriasis, hysteria and health concern scores than the control subjects. OAG subjects also had a significantly greater frequency of clinically abnormal scores for hysteresis and health concerns. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that hypochondriasis, hysteria and health concerns scores were related to the number of systemic medications used.

The researchers believe that the use of systemic medications may be a constant reminder of illness, perhaps explaining the higher MMPI-2 scores in patients with OAG.