Abnormal Illness Behavior, Alexithymia, Demoralization, and Other Clinically Relevant Psychosocial Syndromes in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Comparative Study of the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research System versus ICD-10 Psychiatric Nosology

Background: An average of 35% prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity has been reported in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). However a higher prevalence of other psychosocial syndromes by using the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) was found in medically ill patients. No data on the DCPR are available in KTRs. : To expand the information for sub-typing medical patients by using the DCPR and analyze the relationship with physical, psychological symptoms and daily-life problems in KTRs. : 134 consecutive KTRs were administered the DCPR Interview and the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview 6.0. : 63.4% patients met the criteria for at least one DCPR diagnosis, of whom 32.1% with one DCPR diagnosis (DCPR=1), and 31.3% more than one (DCPR>1), especially Abnormal Illness behaviour (26.1%), Irritability (31.3%), alexithymia (23.1%) and Demoralization (17.2%). Forty-six patients (34.3%) met the criteria for an ICD diagnosis. Among patients without an ICD-10 diagnosis, 47.7% had at least one DCPR syndrome (p <0.001). : A high prevalence of DCPR diagnoses was found in KTRs, including those who resulted to be ICD-10 non-cases. The joint use of DCPR should be part of a correct psychosocial assessment of KTRs.