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Psychosomatic Medicine, Vol 55, Issue 6 533-540, Copyright © 1993 by American Psychosomatic Society

ORIGINAL ARTICLES

A Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory profile of women with allergic rhinitis

M Gauci, MG King, H Saxarra, BJ Tulloch and AJ Husband
Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia.

The aim of this study was to explore relationships among perennial allergic rhinitis and personality traits in a nonpsychiatric female population of proven allergic status. Female subjects were assigned to the allergic (N = 22) or nonallergic group (N = 18) on the basis of skin prick test and self-reported allergic status. Analysis of MMPI profiles showed that allergic subjects scored significantly higher on the Hypochondriasis (Hs) and Social Introversion (Si) scales and significantly lower on the Correction (K) and Ego Strength (Es) scales. The results suggested that women with perennial allergic rhinitis show poorer psychological functioning than nonallergic women. In addition, the number of allergies was positively correlated with T scores on the Hs, Depression (D), Hysteria (Hy), Psychasthenia (Pt), Schizophrenia (Sc), Si, and Conscious Anxiety (A) scales, and negatively correlated with T scores on the K and Es scales. Skin reactivity to house dust mite and grass pollen allergens were positively correlated with scores on Si, whereas skin reactivity to grass pollen and mold allergens was positively correlated with D and Pt (grass) and Pd and Sc (grass and mold). Two possible mechanisms explaining the link between psychological factors and allergic rhinitis include (1) the effect of cortisol on IgE production or (2) the production of mediators during an allergic reaction which travel from the nose to the brain.


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