[Personality characteristics of alcoholic candidates for liver transplantation].

Background And Objective: Although the characteristics of personality have been scarcely investigated in alcoholic patients who are candidates for liver transplantation (LT), a psychopathological evaluation is necessary in them.

Patients And Method: The personality questionnaire Mini-Mult was administered to 53 alcoholic and 20 non-alcoholic patients who were candidates for LT, and was re-administered to 18 alcoholic and 4 non-alcoholic patients at 1-3 months after LT.

Results: Abnormal values in at least 1 of the 8 clinical Mini-Mult scales were observed in 62% of alcoholic patients. However, no significant differences were observed between alcoholic and non-alcoholic patients in relation to the intensity and frequency of abnormal Mini-Mult values. In those alcoholic patients re-evaluated shortly after transplantation, there was not a significant improvement in any of the Mini-Mult scales, with the exception of scale K (self-image).

Conclusions: Alcoholic patients candidates for LT show common alterations in some areas of the personality but the intensity is moderate and without significant differences with respect to non-alcoholic patients also evaluated as candidates for LT.