Affective temperament profiles in patients with herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: a comparative analysis using TEMPS-A scale

TL;DR

This study found that patients with postherpetic neuralgia have distinct emotional profiles compared to those with acute herpes zoster, which may affect their pain and mental health.

Contribution

The study identifies unique affective temperament profiles in PHN patients and links them to pain and psychological outcomes.

Findings

PHN patients showed higher anxious, depressive, and irritable temperament scores compared to HZ patients.

Strong correlations were found between temperament dimensions and pain intensity in PHN patients.

Temperament assessment could help improve personalized pain management strategies for PHN patients.

Abstract

This study aimed to compare affective temperament profiles between HZ and Q5 PHN patients and examine relationships among temperaments, pain intensity, quality of life, depression, and anxiety.

This prospective, cross-sectional study included 70 participants (35 HZ, 35 PHN) recruited from a university pain clinic. Affective temperaments were assessed using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A). Additional measures included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Neuropathic Pain Impact on Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (NePIQoL), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain.

PHN patients were significantly older than HZ patients (69.31 ± 6.16 vs. 63.40 ± 9.36 years, p=0.003). Significant differences emerged across all temperament domains (p<0.001). HZ patients demonstrated predominant hyperthymic temperament (12.86 ± 3.99), while PHN patients exhibited primarily anxious temperament (16.03 ± 4.81). PHN patients showed significantly higher depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, and anxious temperament scores with large effect sizes (Cohen’s d: -0.686 to -1.456). Depression, anxiety, and quality of life measures were significantly worse in PHN patients. Strong correlations were observed between temperament dimensions and pain intensity, particularly in PHN patients (r=-0.940 to 0.934), and between temperaments and psychological measures.

Distinct affective temperament profiles differentiate acute HZ from chronic PHN patients, suggesting temperamental factors may influence pain persistence and psychological outcomes. These findings support incorporating temperament assessment into clinical evaluation for risk stratification and personalized pain management strategies.