Personality: predictor of neurostimulation outcomes in patients with chest pain and normal coronary arteries.

Objectives.  To study the impact of personality traits on the effect of neurostimulation in patients with chest pain and normal coronary arteries. Materials and Methods.  Using the Dutch personality questionnaire, we retrospectively studied the personality traits in 33 patients treated with neurostimulation, either transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation or spinal cord stimulation after 5 years. Neurostimulation was successful in 21 patients. Baseline characteristics and medication also were assessed for possible interactions with personality traits and neurostimulation outcome. Results.  Patients with beneficial neurostimulation scored lower on the "social inadequacy" scale than patients with neurostimulation failure (p = 0.032). In univariate analyses, low scores at the "social inadequacy" scale and the use of calcium antagonists were associated with beneficial outcome of neurostimulation. In multivariate analysis low scores at the "social inadequacy" scale remained an independent predictor for beneficial neurostimulation outcome, when adjusted for other variables. Conclusion.  Personality traits are a determining factor in the evaluation of neurostimulation for patients with chest pain and normal coronary arteries.