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Multicenter Study
. 2009;15(4):188-95.
doi: 10.1159/000228929. Epub 2009 Jul 20.

Personality disorders in alcohol-dependent individuals: relationship with alcohol dependence severity

U W Preuss  1 , M Johann, C Fehr, G Koller, N Wodarz, V Hesselbrock, W M Wong, M Soyka
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Personality disorders in alcohol-dependent individuals: relationship with alcohol dependence severity

U W Preuss et al. Eur Addict Res. 2009.

Abstract

The rate of axis II disorders in alcohol-dependent individuals is suggested to be high. The aim of this investigation is to assess the rate of DSM-IV axis II diagnoses in alcohol-dependent inpatients and their correlation with clinical characteristics of alcohol dependence (AD). 1,079 inpatients with DSM-IV AD from three inpatient addiction treatment centers ('qualified detoxification', open psychiatric university hospital wards) were included. Characteristics of AD were obtained using standardized structured interviews. Diagnoses of DSM-IV personality disorders (PDs) were generated with SCID-II-PQ and SCID-II interviews. Alcoholism severity was measured using the number of DSM-IV criteria endorsed and age at first drinking. Approximately 60% of the sample had at least one PD. However, rates of Axis II disorders differed significantly across centers. The most frequent PDs were obsessive-compulsive, borderline, narcissistic and paranoid PD. Diagnosis of any PD was related to a more severe clinical profile of AD. Regression analyses revealed that obsessive-compulsive PD was related to the number of DSM-IV criteria endorsed while antisocial PD was related to early age at first drinking. The majority of alcohol-dependent individuals had one or more comorbid axis II disorders. Univariate and multivariate analyses indicate that different PDs are related to age at first dinking and alcoholism severity.

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