Pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MS) and depression (MDD) is complex and insufficiently explored. In addition to chronic stress, psychotrauma, hypercortisolemia and immunological factors, some personality features may have an impact. Type D personality, most influential personality type in psychosomatic medicine, consists of two dimensions: negative affect (NA) and social inhibition (SI). Individuals with type D personality are more anxious, irritable and depressed and they do not share these emotions with others because of their fear of rejection. Type D personality was proven to be a risk factor for some MS components, as well as for the occurrence of depressive symptoms in cardiac patients.

To investigate the association of type D personality with MS and its components in MDD patients.

Cross-sectional study was conducted on the sample of 80 patients with depression and 40 healthy subjects as the control group. Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI questionnaire) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS-17) were used for the diagnosis of depression. Type D personality was determined by DS14 questionnaire. The MS diagnosis was made according to ATP III criteria.

The presence of type D personality did not significantly contribute to the probability of developing MS in patients with depression. NA was associated with abdominal obesity, low HDL-cholesterol and hypertension.

Negative affect was proven to be an independent risk factor in the pathogenesis of obesity, hypertension, and reduced level of HDL-cholesterol, while type D personality in general did not have predictive value for the MS development.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.